Physician Loans in Florida, Explained Properly
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Florida publishes two numbers that change how a physician should think about buying here. Almost nobody repeats either of them.
What FRAME actually pays
The headline everywhere is "up to $150,000." That figure is real — it is the cap on 25% of loan principal across four years of eligibility. It is also not what most physicians get.
From the Florida Department of Health's own 2025 FRAME Annual Report, published January 2026:
| Profession | Maximum paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|
| MD and DO | $150,000 | ★ $63,821 |
| Psychiatrist | $146,484 | ★ $64,793 |
| Clinical social worker | $72,084 | $19,149 |
| LPN | $30,046 | $8,426 |
The typical Florida physician award is $63,821 — a gap of $86,179 from the number on the brochure. Plan with the average, not the ceiling. The full picture.
★ And the part a lender should tell you
Every major Florida metro lost value over the year to 2026-08-31, and every one sells slower than the national 53-day benchmark.
| Metro | Typical value | Year over year | Days to pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples | $550,720 | −2.4% | 130 |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale | $475,830 | −0.5% | 98 |
| North Port–Sarasota | $402,040 | −3.1% | 91 |
| Orlando | $383,445 | −1.8% | 70 |
| Tampa | $358,706 | −1.5% | 70 |
| Jacksonville | $350,783 | −0.5% | 80 |
| Cape Coral–Fort Myers | $335,410 | −4.4% | 119 |
| United States benchmark | $368,697 | — | 53 |
A physician programme offers up to 100% financing with no monthly PMI. In a rising market that is a timing advantage. In this one it means starting with no equity in an asset that is losing value, in markets that take two to four months to sell.
That is not a reason to avoid buying in Florida. It is a reason to be honest about your time horizon before you choose how much to put down. The honest math.
Who FRAME actually covers
Narrower than most pages suggest. Florida's eligible-practitioner list reads "physicians with primary care specialties, including psychiatrists" — so a cardiologist, surgeon or anaesthesiologist is outside it, and psychiatrists are explicitly inside.
There is also a condition people miss entirely: payments are "contingent upon the completion of 25 hours of volunteer primary care services annually in a free clinic or other approved community service project."
★ And one genuine surprise: dentists can receive more than physicians — $250,000 across five years against the physician cap of $150,000. The eligibility rules.
When you can apply
The next windows are for the 2027 award cycle: FRAME primary care and mental health run March 1 to April 30, FRAME dental March 1 to June 30.
So for a 2026 purchase, no FRAME money is arriving in time to change the file. An award you have not been granted is not income a lender can use, and until an award pays a balance down the balance underwrites as it stands. How your debt is counted.
The loan side
Florida's 2026 conforming limit is $832,750 in 66 of its 67 counties. Monroe County — the Keys — is the only exception at $990,150.
No Florida metro's typical value comes close to either, so as in Texas the physician product here earns its place on the deposit and the student debt rather than on reach. Where each route wins · The market in full.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Florida's FRAME program actually pay physicians?
The cap is 25% of loan principal to a maximum of $150,000 across four years, but Florida's 2025 FRAME Annual Report puts the actual average payment for MDs and DOs at $63,821, about 42% of the cap. Psychiatrists average $64,793 against a $146,484 maximum.Are Florida home prices falling?
Every major Florida metro fell year over year as of 2026-08-31. Cape Coral and Fort Myers fell 4.4%, North Port and Sarasota 3.1%, Naples and Lakeland 2.4% each, Orlando 1.8%, Tampa 1.5%, Port St. Lucie 1.3%, Palm Bay 0.9%, and Miami and Jacksonville 0.5% each.Who qualifies for FRAME in Florida?
Physicians with primary care specialties, including psychiatrists, plus physician assistants, APRNs with primary care specialties, autonomous practice APRNs, LPNs, RNs, licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, psychologists, dentists and dental hygienists. Specialists outside primary care do not qualify.What is the conforming loan limit in Florida for 2026?
$832,750 for a one-unit property in 66 of Florida's 67 counties. Monroe County, covering the Florida Keys, is the only county above baseline at $990,150.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or licensure advice. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees, and overlays are set by the lender and change; Florida FRAME award amounts, eligibility and application cycles change too. Confirm your scenario with us and your program administrator. All loans are subject to borrower and property qualification, including credit and income review.