Buying a Home in Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens incorporated in 2003 as Miami-Dade’s 33rd city, pulling together communities like Carol City and Bunche Park that were there long before. About 116,000 people live here, and the city has one of the highest shares of Black residents of any city in Florida. Close to two out of three households own their home, far more than in the City of Miami.
Here’s what we’d walk you through on a call about a house in Miami Gardens: the city’s own purchase assistance and where its price cap lands, why duplexes deserve a look, the county charges on your tax bill, and the neighborhoods the city grew out of.
Every source for this page is listed at the bottom.
- CountyMiami-Dade
- IncorporatedMay 13, 2003
- PopulationAbout 116,000
- FHA limit, 1 unit$667,000 in 2026
- FHA limit, 2 units$853,900
- City buyer programPurchase Assistance (SHIP)
- UniversitiesFlorida Memorial, St. Thomas
- Homestead filingMiami-Dade Property Appraiser
The City of Miami Gardens Purchase Assistance Program
Miami Gardens runs its own purchase assistance with state SHIP money. It comes as a 0% deferred loan with no monthly payment, recorded as a second mortgage, and it’s forgiven after five years of living in the home. Five years is a short wait for a second mortgage to go away.
- You can’t have owned a home in the last three years.
- Household income has to fall at or under 120% of the area median, which reaches well into middle-income territory.
- Single-family homes, townhomes and duplexes inside city limits all qualify.
- The city sets a maximum purchase price, and it’s updated as income and price limits change.
That price cap is the part to watch, because plenty of Miami Gardens houses sell above it. We check the cap against the house before you make an offer, so you don’t build your budget around money that won’t apply.
The city takes pre-applications and funds files first qualified, first ready, first served while the money lasts. Call us first and we’ll have your pre-approval done before you apply.
The city assistance stacks with our FHA loan. If the house you want is over the city’s cap, our FHA 100% option, Hometown Heroes (when the state has it funded) or the county programs on our Miami-Dade guide can still cover the down payment.
Why a duplex in Miami Gardens is worth a look
The city’s assistance program accepts duplexes. With our FHA program, you can buy a duplex with the same 3.5% down as a single-family house, as long as you live in one of the units.
The rent from the other unit can count toward qualifying, which can make a duplex easier to afford than a house at the same price. The FHA loan limit for a two-unit property is higher than for one unit too, and both current limits sit at the top of this page. We’ll run the rent, the payment and the qualifying numbers with you so you can compare a duplex against a single-family home side by side.
The neighborhoods Miami Gardens grew out of
Before 2003, these were separate communities in unincorporated Miami-Dade.
Carol City
Developer Julius Gaines planned to call it “Coral City” until Coral Gables threatened to sue, so he swapped two letters. Carol City High School opened in 1963.
Bunche Park
Bunche Park is named for Dr. Ralph Bunche, the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2000 it had the highest share of Bahamian ancestry of any community in the country.
Scott Lake
Scott Lake covers about 3.4 square miles, and Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Dolphins and the Hurricanes, sits inside its old boundaries.
Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne holds Calder, the race course that opened in 1971 and now runs as Calder Casino.
Andover, Norland and more
Andover, Norland and Opa-locka North are other former communities that became part of the city when it incorporated.
Near the universities
Florida Memorial University, a historically Black university founded in 1879, and St. Thomas University, on a 150-acre campus, both sit inside the city.
What’s on a Miami Gardens tax bill
Miami Gardens relies on Miami-Dade County for some services the bigger cities run themselves, and those show up on your property tax bill.
- County fire rescue: Miami Gardens is covered by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, so its properties pay the county fire millage that City of Miami homes don’t.
- County garbage service: waste collection comes from Miami-Dade County, and the yearly residential fee is charged on the tax bill rather than billed monthly.
Neither charge is optional, and both get collected through your mortgage escrow, so we count them when we figure what you can afford. Homestead lowers the bill, so file with the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser by March 1 after your first January in the house.
Ask about flood zones on any house you’re considering. The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser and the county’s flood maps show the zone, and your lender will require flood insurance if the house sits in a high-risk area. That premium goes into our numbers from the start.
Buying or refinancing in Miami Gardens with AAA Capital Funding
Buying
Our FHA program takes 3.5% down with a 580 or higher score, plus seller credits toward closing costs. With our FHA 100% option, a down payment assistance second can cover the rest. Eligible veterans can buy with a VA loan and no down payment. With a higher score, a Conventional loan is worth comparing, because its mortgage insurance can come off once you build equity.
Refinancing
If you’ve owned in Miami Gardens for a while, you may have more equity than you think. A cash-out refinance can pay for a new roof or impact windows, help with insurance costs or clear high-interest debt. We’ll lay out what the cash costs you each month and what it pays off.
Licensed in Florida since 1997, we close loans in all 67 counties and know the Miami Gardens programs well. Call
Miami Gardens buyers can use our Homebuyers Outreach Program for a credit toward closing costs. The time to ask is before you sign a contract, not after.
Miami Gardens questions we hear a lot
How long until the Miami Gardens assistance is forgiven?
It’s forgiven after five years of living in the home as your primary residence. Sell, rent it out or move out before then and it comes due.
Can I use Miami Gardens assistance on a duplex?
Yes, the city’s program lists duplexes as eligible, and FHA lets you buy a two-unit property with 3.5% down as long as you live in one unit.
Do Miami Gardens homes pay a fire tax?
Yes, the city is served by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, so properties carry the county fire rescue millage on the tax bill. It’s built into your escrow from the start.
What if the house costs more than the city’s price cap?
The city program won’t apply to that house, but you still have options. Our FHA 100% option, Hometown Heroes and Miami-Dade County’s programs can cover the down payment on homes above the city’s cap.
Sources for this page
- City of Miami Gardens: About the City
- Florida EDR / BEBR population estimates
- Data USA: Miami Gardens, FL
- Miami Gardens, Florida (Wikipedia)
- City of Miami Gardens: Purchase Assistance Program
- Carol City, Florida (Wikipedia)
- Bunche Park, Florida (Wikipedia)
- Scott Lake, Florida (Wikipedia)
- Lake Lucerne, Florida (Wikipedia)
- Florida Memorial University (Wikipedia)
- St. Thomas University (Wikipedia)
- Miami-Dade Property Appraiser: Adopted Millage Rates
- Miami-Dade County Waste Service Guide
AAA Capital Funding, Inc. NMLS #374739. Jason J. Sarji, NMLS #374700. Licensed Florida mortgage broker serving Miami Gardens and all 67 Florida counties since 1997. Equal Housing Opportunity.
You work with the same person from start to finish, in every county in Florida.
We've been closing Florida loans since 1997, in all 67 counties. If you want to know what's possible in Miami Gardens, call 888-601-8344 or text 954-816-8820. One call, under ten minutes. No application needed to start.
AAA Capital Funding, Inc. · NMLS #374739 · Jason J. Sarji, NMLS #374700