First-Time Homebuyer Guide (St. Johns County)

The SHIP program offers down payment help for first time buyers purchasing a primary residence in St. Johns County, though the purchase price cannot exceed $400,000 and applicants must have lived or worked locally for at least 12 months.

Teachers, nurses, and other frontline workers employed in St. Johns County can receive up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance through this statewide program, plus a lower first mortgage rate.

Most St. Johns County assistance programs require applicants to complete a HUD certified Homebuyer Education class through the county's Housing and Financial Counseling Program before closing.

St. Johns County's Housing and Financial Counseling team offers one-on-one credit counseling to help first time buyers rebuild or strengthen their credit history before applying for assistance.

In St. Johns County, a first time buyer is generally defined as someone who has not owned a home in the past three years, not necessarily someone who has never owned one at all.

St. Johns Housing Partnership offers HUD certified counselors who help buyers navigate Down Payment Assistance options like Florida Bond, HOP, and SHIP, especially useful for buyers who've had bumps in their credit history.

Established in 1980, the St. Johns County Housing Finance Authority issues bonds that fund the First Time Homebuyer and SHIP Down Payment Assistance programs used throughout the county.

SHIP funds in St. Johns County can also help cover necessary repairs to major systems like roofing, plumbing, and HVAC at the time of purchase, though this doesn't apply to condos, duplexes, or townhomes.

SHIP funds in St. Johns County can often be paired with other state or federal programs like Hometown Heroes on an as-needed basis, giving buyers more than one source of help.