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Up to $100,000 for First-Time Homebuyers: How Palm Beach County's Assistance Programs Work

Palm Beach County's Department of Housing and Economic Development runs recurring funding rounds that can put serious money behind your first home purchase. The windows open briefly and fill fast — here's how the programs work and how to be ready before the next one opens.

Call Brian: 561-201-4717 Hablamos Español — Lucy: 561-285-8809

By The Wilder Real Estate Group · Keller Williams Wellington · In business since 1996

Quick Take

The Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED) periodically opens funding rounds through the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the SHIP Purchase Assistance Program, offering up to $100,000 per household toward a first home — acquisition, new construction, down payment, or closing costs. Assistance is structured as a deferred loan, applications are capped per round, and processing is first submitted, first qualified, first served. Preparation before the window opens is everything.

Dreaming of buying your first home in Palm Beach County? The single biggest barrier for most renters isn't the monthly payment — it's the cash needed at the closing table. The county's HED programs exist to knock that barrier down, and the assistance is substantial. But these are not open-enrollment programs. Funding rounds open on specific dates, cap at a set number of applications (recent rounds have capped between 30 and 100), and routinely fill within days. The buyers who win are the ones who were ready before the portal opened.

What the Programs Offer

  • Up to $100,000 per household toward acquiring a primary residence — usable for acquisition, acquisition/rehabilitation, new construction, down payment, and closing costs.
  • Deferred loan structure. Assistance is provided as a deferred loan secured by a recorded Mortgage, Promissory Note, and Declaration of Restrictions — not a grant, but typically with no monthly payment while you occupy the home as your primary residence.
  • Two funding sources. The federally funded HOME Investment Partnership Program and the state-funded SHIP Purchase Assistance Program run separate rounds, sometimes in the same year. Mechanics are similar; income limits differ.

Who's Eligible

  • First-time homebuyer status. Generally defined as not having owned a home within the past three years, consistent with HUD standards.
  • Income limits by household size. HOME program rounds are typically limited to households at or below 80% of area median income; SHIP rounds have historically allowed higher income brackets. The dollar thresholds are tied to household size and update annually — always check the current limits on the HED website for the active round rather than relying on figures from a prior year.
  • First mortgage approval required before applying. You must already hold a First Mortgage Loan approval from a lender when you apply. This is the step most applicants leave too late.
  • Mandatory pre-application orientation. Each funding round requires attendance at a virtual orientation session before you can submit. Session dates are posted with each round's announcement.

How a Funding Round Works

  1. HED announces the round — with portal open/close dates, the application cap, and orientation schedule — at pbcgov.com/HED.
  2. You attend a mandatory virtual orientation ahead of the portal opening.
  3. The portal opens at a stated date and time and closes either at the deadline or when the application cap is reached — whichever comes first.
  4. Applications are processed first submitted, first qualified, first served, subject to funding availability. Minutes matter on opening day.
  5. Approved assistance closes alongside your purchase, recorded as a deferred second mortgage.

How to Be Ready Before the Next Round Opens

  • Get mortgage pre-approval now. It's a hard prerequisite, and underwriting takes time. Work with a lender familiar with layered DPA financing.
  • Subscribe to HED announcements at pbcgov.com/HED so you hear about the round the day it's announced, not the week it closes.
  • Complete homebuyer education early. HUD-approved counseling agencies serving Palm Beach County can walk you through both education and pre-application preparation.
  • Have your documents staged: tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, ID for every household member. Rounds have closed in under three weeks — assemble nothing from scratch under deadline.
  • Know your target homes in advance. Program awards come with purchase-price limits and the home must be your primary residence. We can build you a shortlist of qualifying Wellington and Palm Beach County homes before the window opens, so you shop with confidence instead of scrambling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the assistance a grant or a loan? +
It is a deferred loan, secured by a recorded Mortgage, Promissory Note, and Declaration of Restrictions. There is typically no monthly payment while you occupy the home as your primary residence, and program terms govern when and whether the balance is forgiven or repaid. Review the specific round's terms carefully.
Do I need a mortgage approval before I apply? +
Yes. A First Mortgage Loan approval from a lender is required before applying. Applicants without one cannot qualify, regardless of income eligibility.
How often do funding rounds open? +
There is no fixed annual date. Recent years have seen one or more rounds per year across the HOME and SHIP programs, announced by Palm Beach County HED with specific portal dates and application caps. Subscribing to HED announcements is the most reliable way to catch the next one.
Can I use the assistance anywhere in Palm Beach County? +
The home must be located in Palm Beach County and used as your principal residence, and it must fall within the program's purchase-price limits. That still covers a wide range of communities, from Wellington and Royal Palm Beach to Lake Worth, Greenacres, and West Palm Beach.

Time-sensitive program note: Application windows, income limits, orientation schedules, and funding amounts are specific to each round and change year to year. The most recently announced rounds described in earlier versions of this article have closed. For the current application cycle, official dates, and this year's income limits, go directly to pbcgov.com/HED or call HED at (561) 233-3600. This article is general information, not financial or legal advice — consult your lender and the program's official documentation.

Official Program Contact

Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED)
Mortgage and Housing Investments Division
100 Australian Avenue, 5th Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Phone: (561) 233-3600
Contact persons: Rosetta Robertson or Antoinette Prescott
Email: HEDverify@pbc.gov
Website: pbcgov.com/HED

Applicants needing special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request assistance by email at least five business days before a portal opening. A list of agencies that can assist applicants is available on request.

Get Ready Before the Window Opens

The buyers who land this assistance are the ones who prepared months ahead — pre-approval in hand, documents staged, target homes identified. That preparation is exactly what we do.

The Wilder Real Estate Group — in business since 1996, 1,500+ Palm Beach County transactions, 225+ 5-star reviews. Call Brian Wilder at 561-201-4717, or for service in Spanish, Lucy Lopez at 561-285-8809. Start by browsing homes across Palm Beach County that could qualify under the program's price limits.

The Wilder Real Estate Group · Keller Williams Wellington
In business since 1996 · 1,500+ Palm Beach County transactions · 225+ 5-star reviews
Brian Wilder: 561-201-4717 · Lucy Lopez (English/Español): 561-285-8809
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