Costs and deposits already paid
Inspection, appraisal or other property work may be paid before settlement. An earnest-money deposit is paid earlier but is generally credited in the settlement ledger.
Buying a home in Florida
Buying a Home in Florida Starts With Your Payment
Start with a comfortable payment, then work backward to a practical price range and the cash you need to protect.
Start with a comfortable payment to estimate a price range and the cash to plan for. No application or credit pull is needed to use the calculator.
Personally overseen by Shahram Sondi, a Florida mortgage originator since 2001 and Certified Mortgage Advisor™.
Plan the payment before the address makes the decision for you.
01 · Comfortable payment
Start With a Payment You Can Comfortably Carry
Qualification asks what underwriting may permit. Comfort asks what leaves room for the rest of your life. Those are different decisions.
A useful housing budget includes more than the mortgage.
- Principal and interest
- Property taxes
- Homeowners and flood insurance when applicable
- Mortgage insurance when applicable
- HOA dues and CDD charges
Utilities, maintenance and other ownership costs sit outside the calculator and still belong in your personal budget.
Your plan shows three connected answers
- A price range to compareBased on the all-in payment you choose and the assumptions shown.
- A complete payment breakdownSo taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA and CDD do not disappear behind P&I.
- An honest cash statusIncluding what is known, what is still unknown and what you want to retain.
02 · Purchase cash
Know What Is Paid, What Is Due, and What Stays With You
“Cash to close” is one moment in a longer cash plan. Keep the timing visible so a deposit or prepaid cost is not counted twice.
Remaining funds due
Down payment, closing and settlement costs, prepaids, initial escrow and any program charge paid in cash—less eligible deposits and credits.
Money retained
Your desired cushion is a personal decision. Lender-required reserves, when applicable, are an underwriting requirement and are not the same as funds due at closing.
See the complete Florida closing-cost ledger →Compare down payment with retained liquidity →
03 · Loan options
Compare the Path After You Understand the Trade-Off
The right program depends on occupancy, eligibility, credit, income, assets, property, loan size and the full cost—not just the smallest advertised down payment.
Conventional
Some eligible purchase options allow as little as 3% down. Mortgage insurance, pricing and borrower requirements vary.
Review conventional loans →FHA
Eligible borrowers may use 3.5% down at the applicable credit level. FHA includes upfront and annual mortgage insurance.
Review FHA loans →VA
Eligible borrowers may have a no-down-payment option when the price and appraisal support it. A funding fee can apply; VA has no monthly mortgage insurance.
Review VA loans →Jumbo
Loan amounts above applicable conforming limits receive a more scenario-specific review of assets, reserves, property and underwriting.
Review jumbo loans →Different property or buyer situation?
Compare occupancy and loan structures, review first-time and assistance distinctions, explore a second home, review investor cash-flow financing, understand an assumable loan, or plan for a property that needs work.
Low-down-payment examples reviewed September 7, 2026. Eligibility and lender requirements apply. Official references: Fannie Mae 97% LTV options, HUD FHA guidance, and VA purchase-loan guidance.
04 · Florida property checks
Check the Property Costs Before You Make an Offer
The same price can produce a different payment or a different financing path once the address is known.
Property tax after purchase
Estimate the new owner’s tax scenario. Do not carry the seller’s current bill into your budget as though it were your future assessment.
Insurance and property condition
Request an address-specific homeowners quote early and ask what roof, wind-mitigation, four-point or coverage information the insurer needs.
Flood exposure
Review the property’s flood information and obtain a separate flood quote when applicable. Keep a blank estimate visibly unknown until verified.
HOA, CDD and assessments
Read the association budget, dues, pending assessments and payment frequency. Check whether a CDD charge is already inside the tax estimate before adding it again.
Condo eligibility
Identify the exact project early so the lender can review program, insurance, budget, ownership and project requirements before the contract timeline gets tight.
Builder incentives
Compare the builder’s written price, credits, financing terms and conditions with an alternative offer over the time you expect to keep the loan.
Official starting points for Central Florida tax estimates
Statewide references: Florida Department of Revenue buyer guide, FEMA flood insurance, and the Florida payment calculator.
05 · Pre-approval
Prepare the File Before You Rely on the Offer Budget
A useful pre-approval is built from reviewed documents and realistic property assumptions—not only self-reported answers or a letter generator.
What gets reviewed
- Income and employment documentation
- Assets, down-payment source and cash after closing
- Credit obligations and housing history
- Loan program, occupancy and property assumptions
What remains conditional
A pre-approval is not a final approval or commitment to lend. It remains subject to verification, underwriting, an acceptable property, appraisal, insurance, title, program rules and any other stated conditions.
06 · The buying process
Six Stages From Budget to Closing
Each stage resolves part of the plan. None makes the remaining borrower, property or lender conditions disappear.
- 01
Set the budget
Choose a comfortable all-in payment and cash cushion before shopping by price.
Still unresolved: The address-specific tax, insurance, HOA, CDD and flood figures are still estimates.
- 02
Prepare the file
Gather income, asset, housing-history and obligation documents for review.
Still unresolved: Reported information is not the same as lender-verified information.
- 03
Build the pre-approval
Compare realistic loan paths and obtain a reviewed, conditional pre-approval.
Still unresolved: Approval remains subject to verification, underwriting, an acceptable property and program requirements.
- 04
Choose the home and offer
Re-price the payment and cash plan for the actual address before relying on an offer budget.
Still unresolved: Contract terms, inspections, appraisal, insurance availability and negotiated credits can still move the plan.
- 05
Complete underwriting and property review
Respond to document requests while the lender and third parties review the borrower and property.
Still unresolved: Open conditions remain until the lender clears them; a pre-approval is not final approval.
- 06
Review final figures and close
Compare the final Closing Disclosure, funds, timing and documents before signing.
Still unresolved: The official disclosures and closing instructions—not an early web estimate—control the final transaction.
Use a readiness framework if timing is the open question →Understand rates, points and lender credits →Compare points over your expected loan timeline →
07 · Direct expert oversight
A Buying Plan With One Accountable Expert
Shahram reviews the payment, cash and loan structure with you, helps prepare the financing file, and stays involved as the property and underwriting conditions become real.
Mortgage originator since 2001 · Certified Mortgage Advisor™ · NMLS 186790 · Licensed Florida real estate broker
Recognized by Orlando Magazine in its 2026 “Mortgage Lender – Individual” category.
08 · Your next step
Build the Plan Before You Make the Offer
Start with the payment you want to carry. The calculator will connect it to a price range, complete payment and honest cash status without asking for contact information first.