I've had buyers come into my office convinced they didn't qualify for state assistance because another lender told them they made too much money. In many of those cases, the previous loan officer simply didn't understand the math behind the program. They looked at a single household income number, hit a wall, and walked away.

The truth is that Florida Housing has two completely different ways of calculating your income. Knowing which track fits your household structure can mean the difference between getting a $25,000 closing credit or getting a rejection letter.

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The Two Ways the State Measures Your Income

The maximum assistance amount stays exactly the same either way—5% of your total first mortgage loan size, ranging from a $10,000 minimum floor up to a hard $35,000 cap. But the underwriter will calculate your income using one of two distinct sets of rules:

The TBA Track (Borrower Only): This track only measures the credit-qualifying gross income of the specific people who are actually signing the mortgage note. If you have a working spouse, a partner, or an adult child living in the home but they aren't going to be on the loan paperwork, the state completely ignores their income.

The Bond Track (Household Income): This track is a complete household audit. The state mandates that the gross income of every single occupant in the property who is 18 or older must be added together, regardless of whether they are on the mortgage application. This means part-time retail jobs, regular child support, or social security received by any household member counts against the limit.

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Central Florida Income and Purchase Price Caps

To give you an idea of the landscape, here are the current hard boundaries for our local Central Florida sub-markets:

There are also a couple of structural guardrails to keep in mind here. The Bond track enforces a maximum property purchase price cap of $566,354 across Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties. If you find a home in Oviedo or Winter Park for $575,000, it cannot be run on the Bond track. The TBA track, however, has no purchase price ceiling and simply follows standard agency loan limits.

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A Real-World Example of the Math in Action

A few months ago, I sat down with a married couple looking at a new construction neighborhood in Oviedo. He was an IT specialist and she was a nurse at a local clinic, and their combined household income was $180,000.

Another lender had automatically reviewed them under the Bond guidelines and told them they were completely disqualified because $180,000 was well over the local household limits.

When we sat down, we simply looked at the file through the TBA framework. By placing only the nurse on the mortgage note, the qualifying income became exactly $90,000. Because $90,000 sits comfortably below the local TBA cap of $172,350, the file was approved cleanly, and they secured their full down payment assistance.

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What You Should Do Next

When your household income sits right on the line, choosing how to structure your paperwork makes all the difference. If you think you may qualify, the next step is finding out which loan program fits your situation. Some buyers are better served by FHA, while others benefit from a conventional loan or VA financing. Understanding that difference before you start shopping can save you time and money.

If you're wondering whether this program fits your situation, let's review it before you start looking at homes. A short conversation now can help you avoid surprises later.

• Apply Online: midfloridamortgage-rr.my1003app.com

• Call or Text Rayce Robinson: (321) 377-4211

• Learn More: www.MeetRayceRobinson.com

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Continue Learning

If you are researching the Florida Hometown Heroes program, you will find these companion guides in our handbook highly helpful:

• What Is Florida Hometown Heroes? posted 7/16/2026

• What Jobs Qualify for Florida Hometown Heroes? posted 7/23/2026

• Florida Hometown Heroes Income Limits Explained: TBA vs. Bond

• FHA vs. Conventional vs. VA with Florida Hometown Heroes

• Is Florida Hometown Heroes Only for First-Time Homebuyers?

• How to Apply for Florida Hometown Heroes

• Do You Have to Pay Back Florida Hometown Heroes?

• Florida Hometown Heroes Underwriting Red Flags: Processing Errors and Repayment Realities