Pinellas County Down Payment Assistance: what buyers need to know

By Brendin Straubel, Mortgage Loan Originator · Updated September 2026

Pinellas County reopened its down payment assistance program in December 2025, and the current version is substantial: an interest free, deferred loan of up to $75,000 for eligible buyers. Here's how it works and how to tell whether it fits your purchase.

What the program offers

• An interest free, deferred loan up to $75,000 for down payment and closing cost help
• No monthly payments, with full forgiveness after 30 years for eligible households
• Repayment applies if you sell before the term ends

Who is eligible

As of the county's August 2026 program terms, annual income must be below $64,250 for a single person or $91,750 for a family of four, liquid assets cannot exceed $50,000, and the home must be your primary residence. The maximum purchase price is $394,000, which covers a meaningful slice of the Pinellas market.

Where the home can be

The county program covers unincorporated Pinellas and eligible service areas. St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Largo run their own separate programs, so the right program depends on the exact address. This is one of those details I check for you on day one.

The extra steps, honestly

Pinellas asks more of buyers than a standard loan: an 8 hour HUD approved homebuyer class, a one on one session, and a physical condition inspection of the home. None of it is difficult, but it takes calendar time, so we build it into your offer and closing timeline from the start. Lenders submit the application through the county's portal on your behalf, which is exactly the part I handle.

Next step

Send me your household size, rough income, and the areas of Pinellas you're considering. I'll come back with whether the county program or a city program fits, and what your full purchase picture would look like with it.