Buying a house in Miami-Dade or Broward, step by step
Nelson Paredes · REALTOR® · One Stop Realty Center Inc
Updated October 10, 2026
7 steps
Buying a home has an order: first know whether you are ready and how much cash you need; then the help, the lender letter, the home, the offer and closing.
From the first number to the keys. From the moment the seller accepts your offer to closing it usually takes a month to a month and a half; what comes before is up to you.
The down payment percentages are the rule of the FHA loan, the same one the Umbralio questionnaire uses; closing costs are Freddie Mac's national estimate. Checked October 10, 2026.
Everyone has an opinion: wait, don't wait, it's way too expensive. Almost nobody tells you where to start. This is what happens, in the order it happens.
- 1See if you are readyIt comes down to three things: what you have saved, your credit, and what the home you want costs. With those three you know whether you can buy today or what you are missing. It is the step almost everyone skips, and that is why the rest goes sideways.See what I can buy
- 2Work out the cashWhen you buy you pay two things: the down payment and the closing costs (the fees you pay at closing). With a credit score of 580 or more, the government-backed loan that needs little down (FHA) asks for 3.5% of the price; between 500 and 579, 10%. Closing costs add another 2% to 5%.
- 3Apply for down payment helpMiami-Dade, Broward, several cities and the state all have down payment help, and some of it is never paid back. Nearly all of it asks for a homebuyer course of about eight hours, which approved agencies run for free. Take it when you are actually about to buy: the certificate expires.See which programs could fit
- 4Get the lender letterA pre-approval letter says how much the lender will lend you after reviewing your documents. Without it, almost no seller takes an offer seriously. A pre-qualification, the five-minute online one, is not worth the same.
- 5Look for the home, with us on your sideWith the letter you know your ceiling, so you shop under it. We go through the search with you: we tell you what sold nearby and for how much, and what the house has that the photos do not show.Check the property
- 6Make the offer and check the houseIf the seller accepts, you sign the contract and put down a deposit. From there you get a few days for an inspector to go through the house, and the lender sends someone to say what it is worth (the appraisal). You also buy the insurance: the lender will not lend without it.
- 7Close and get the keysFrom the accepted offer it usually takes a month to a month and a half. On closing day you sign, pay the cash you worked out in step two, and get the keys.
An example with numbers. A $400,000 home with a score of 580 or more: $14,000 down and between $8,000 and $20,000 in closing costs. In total, between $22,000 and $34,000 on closing day, before any help is taken off.
- Taking out a loan for a car or furniture. The lender checks your debts again before closing, and a new one can lower what they lend you.
- Depositing a large sum you cannot explain. The lender asks about every deposit. If someone gives you money for the down payment, get it with a signed letter.
- Changing jobs. If you can, wait until you have the keys.
- Telling your landlord too early. If you rent, do not give up the apartment until you have a closing date. The guide on how to stop renting explains it.
We tell you which step you are on and what comes next.
The steps are the same for everyone; which one you are on is not something a guide can tell you. Leave us your number and we help you with the next one.
This guide orients you, it does not advise you. The percentages are those of the FHA loan and an estimate of closing costs; final terms are set by your lender, and each kind of help is decided by the agency that gives it, based on your case.
