Palm Beach County Residents Can Get Up to $50K Toward a New Home—Here’s How

by Kiri Blakeley

Good news for aspiring Palm Beach County, FL, homeowners: A new pilot program is offering up to $50,000 to make homeownership dreams come true for 60 lucky households.

With a $500,000 median list price as of February 2026, Palm Beach County isn't cheap. That's $102,000 over the national median list price, according to Realtor.com® home sales data.

Palm Beach County boasts some of the priciest real estate in the world. The town of Palm Beach, home of Mar-a-Lago, has a median price tag of $3 million, and nearby ritzy Manalapan has an even more staggering median of $20 million.

Fortunately, for those who aren't multimillionaires, there are cheaper options available in the county, such as in West Palm Beach, Hypoluxo, Boynton Beach, and Boca Raton.

This 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo in up-and-coming Hypoluxo would qualify for the pilot program thanks to its $299,000 list price. — A two-bedroom, two-bath condo in up-and-coming Hypoluxo would qualify for the pilot program thanks to its $299,000 list price. (Realtor.com)

Even the town of Palm Beach has affordable properties within a few miles of President Donald Trump's abode.

And now, the county is looking to help achieve homeownership for those who have low to moderate income in the area.

How does it work?

With $2 million in funding, the Homebuyer Match Pilot Program will provide up to $50,000 in a dollar-for-dollar match to the homebuyers' cash contribution.

Eligible homebuyers can use the cash for down payments, points buy-down, minor repairs, or closing costs on a property in Palm Beach County.

The approved applicants will have to contribute a minimum of $10,000 towardd their home purchase. There are home purchase limits: A single-family home can't exceed a price of $700,000, and a townhome/condominium has a cap of $325,000.

This 3-bedroom Lake Worth townhouse is listed for $164,900, below the maximum allowed to qualify for the pilot program. — This three-bedroom Lake Worth townhouse is listed for $164,900, below the maximum allowed to qualify for the pilot program. (Realtor.com)

Who qualifies?

There are strict income limits for applicants: $65,450 to $114,660 for a one-person household; $74,800 to $131,040 for a two-person household; $84,150 to $147,280 for three people; and $93,500 to $163,660 for four people.

Antoinette Prescott of the Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development tells Realtor.com that the program is open to nonresidents as well—provided they buy a home in the county and then live there.

Local agent Steven Presson, with Corcoran, says this program could be life-changing for the lucky recipients.

"For many working families, the hurdle isn’t qualifying for a mortgage—it's saving the $60,000 for the down payment," he tells Realtor.com. "Programs that help bridge that gap can make a difference in allowing qualified buyers to enter the market and also help protect the overall health of our local real estate market."

Local Douglas Elliman agent Johnny De l Prete agrees.

"Programs like this are important because Palm Beach County as a whole is often viewed only through the lens of its luxury market, but there are many teachers, health care workers, service professionals, and young families who live and work here and are trying to buy homes," he says.

Warning: The competition will be fierce. A lottery will choose only 60 qualified applicants. The portal to apply and upload required documents opens on March 30 at 8 a.m. It closes on April 20 at 11:59 p.m.

Interested parties are urged to attend an online pre-application orientation. Orientation dates as well as other information about the pilot program can be found here.

Boca Raton house — This three-bedroom, two-bath home in Boca Raton falls well below the $700,000 single-family home purchase limit for the pilot program. (Realtor.com)

If you manage to snag the free cash, then buckle up, as you enter a competitive but softening housing market that is starting to turn in the buyer's favor.

Prices in Palm Beach County—while still historically high—have come down significantly since their June 2022 median high of $627,000.

There are currently 7,051 active single-family home listings in Palm Beach County, with 38% being under the program's $700,000 limit. For townhomes and condos, 44% of the 9,690 active listings are under the program's $325,000 maximum.

"The condo price cap may be more difficult for buyers, particularly in communities east of Interstate-95, where values have increased significantly over the past several years," says DelPrete.

cheap Palm Beach condo — While Palm Beach megamansions can top $100 million, more affordable options such as this $298,873 two-bedroom condo exist. (Realtor.com)

Will it really help?

Absolutely, says Presson. He points to his recent talk with an Uber driver who lamented his inability to partake in the American dream.

"He told me he'd love to buy a home, but between mortgage rates and prices rising, both the monthly payment and the down payment have essentially doubled compared to a few years ago," he says. "Guy told me literally he works 16 hours a day, seven days a week, just to pay his rent."

"Programs like this can make the difference between someone like him remaining a renter or finally becoming a homeowner."