The $541,287 baseline FHA limit covers most of Florida's 67 counties, Miami-Dade steps up to $667,000, and Monroe County — the Florida Keys — tops the state at $990,150. FHA, VA, DSCR, and Conventional financing, from Joseph Pistone — NMLS #2087918, licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in Florida.
Florida's loan-limit story looks nothing like California's. Unlike California, where loan limits swing by over $700,000 county to county, most of Florida's 67 counties — including Hillsborough (Tampa) — sit at the same national FHA floor of $541,287. There are two real exceptions: Miami-Dade County, elevated to $667,000, and Monroe County — the Florida Keys — which tops the state at $990,150. That's a genuinely different market structure: a broad, consistent baseline across nearly the entire state, with a couple of clearly defined higher-cost pockets rather than dramatic swings everywhere you look.
Florida also has a real, well-documented advantage that shows up before a buyer ever gets to loan limits: there's no state income tax. That's a significant, ongoing driver of in-migration from higher-tax states, and while it doesn't change your loan program or your loan limit, it does change your take-home pay and your overall affordability math — worth factoring in when you're comparing what you can carry here versus where you're coming from.
The other piece that's a bigger part of the conversation here than in most states is insurance. Hurricane, wind, and flood exposure are a genuine part of buying a home in Florida — depending on location and flood zone, that can mean a wind mitigation inspection, flood insurance through the NFIP or a private carrier, and a homeowners policy priced for coastal risk. None of that is unique to any one city; it's part of the statewide picture, and it's smart to budget for it before you're under contract, not after.
Finally, there's geography. Florida is 67 counties wide, coast to coast, panhandle to Keys — a broad, varied footprint rather than the handful of concentrated, extremely high-cost metros that define California's market. Whether you're buying in Pensacola, Orlando, Miami, or the Keys, the program and the numbers depend on where in that footprint you actually are.
3.5% down against a $541,287 baseline limit across most of Florida, stepping up to $667,000 in Miami-Dade and $990,150 in Monroe County. Explore FHA loans →
No maximum loan limit for veterans with full entitlement, regardless of county — a real advantage near Florida's military communities. Explore VA loans →
Qualifies off the property's rental income, not your personal income — built for investors targeting Florida's tourism and relocation-driven rental markets. Explore DSCR loans →
Conforming financing available statewide, with PMI that can be removed at 20% equity — a solid fit anywhere from the panhandle to South Florida. Explore Conventional loans →
Joe's home market — the Sarasota-Manatee metro, including Bradenton, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch, all at the $541,287 baseline. Sarasota FHA Loan hub → · Bradenton → · Venice →
Tampa and Hillsborough County sit at the $541,287 baseline, with every program available. FHA loan in Tampa → · VA loan → · Conventional loan → · DSCR loan →
Fort Myers, Naples, and Cape Coral — a fast-growing corridor where flood and wind insurance are a bigger part of the buying conversation. Fort Myers → · Naples → · Cape Coral →
Orlando anchors Central Florida's baseline-limit market, with a large veteran and relocating-buyer population. FHA loan in Orlando → · VA loan →
Miami-Dade's FHA and conforming limit steps up to $667,000, reflecting its higher price points. Also serving Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. FHA loan in Miami → · VA loan → · Fort Lauderdale → · West Palm Beach →
Jacksonville, home to a significant Navy presence, sits at the baseline limit with strong VA loan activity. FHA loan in Jacksonville → · VA loan →
Buying in the Florida Keys? Monroe County carries the state's highest loan limit at $990,150, reflecting its unique island market — reach out and we'll walk through it directly. Buying somewhere else in Florida? Every program on this page is available statewide — see the full city library at floridafhaloan.com and sarasotafhaloan.com, or reach out and we'll walk through the loan limit and program that fits your specific county.
Much less than in a state like California. The 2026 baseline FHA limit of $541,287 applies to most of Florida's 67 counties, including Hillsborough (Tampa). Miami-Dade County is elevated to $667,000, and Monroe County (the Florida Keys) is the state's highest at $990,150 — but those are the exceptions, not the rule.
Florida has no state income tax, which is a real and well-documented driver of relocation from higher-tax states. It doesn't change your loan program or loan limit directly, but it does change your take-home pay and overall affordability picture, which is worth factoring into how much home you can comfortably carry.
Insurance is a bigger part of the Florida buying conversation than in many other states. Depending on the property's location and flood zone, you may need a wind mitigation inspection, flood insurance through the NFIP or a private carrier, and a homeowners policy that reflects coastal exposure — all of which affect your total monthly payment and are worth budgeting for early, before you're under contract.
No. Since 2020, VA loans have had no maximum loan limit for veterans with full entitlement, regardless of county — a real advantage near Florida's military communities in Tampa, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Key West.
Yes — DSCR loans qualify off the property's rental income rather than your personal income, which fits well with Florida's tourism-driven short-term rental markets and its steady stream of relocation-driven long-term rental demand.
Yes. Joseph Pistone is a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in Florida, NMLS #2087918, verifiable on NMLS Consumer Access, and originates through CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #3029.
Talk through your county, your program options, and your numbers so we can confirm the right fit before you start looking.
Pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns, bank statements, and ID — see the checklist below.
An appraiser confirms value against comparable sales in your specific Florida county — and, for FHA, against HUD's property standards too. Coastal and flood-zone properties may also need a wind mitigation or elevation inspection for insurability.
Your full file is reviewed against your program's guidelines; you may get a list of conditions to satisfy.
Conditions satisfied, closing disclosure issued, funds and paperwork lined up.
Sign, fund, and get your keys.
Having these ready before you apply is the single biggest thing you can do to keep your timeline moving. Call (941) 260-1894 and we'll walk through exactly what applies to your situation.
You're relocating from a higher-tax state. Florida's lack of a state income tax is a real factor in your overall affordability, on top of whichever loan program fits your purchase — worth running the full picture, not just the mortgage payment, before you decide what you can comfortably carry.
You're a veteran near MacDill AFB, NAS Jacksonville, NAS Pensacola, or NAS Key West. A VA loan means no down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and — for veterans with full entitlement — no county loan limit at all, which matters most in higher-cost markets like Miami-Dade or the Keys.
You're an investor eyeing a rental near Orlando or a coastal short-term rental market. DSCR financing qualifies off the property's rental income rather than your personal income, which fits naturally with Florida's tourism-driven demand and its steady in-migration of long-term renters.
You're buying in Miami-Dade or the Florida Keys. These are the two real exceptions to Florida's otherwise consistent statewide loan limit — $667,000 in Miami-Dade and $990,150 in Monroe County — and insurance costs deserve extra attention here given the coastal exposure.
Talk directly with Joseph Pistone — no pressure, no spam, just clear answers about your specific county and program.
