“It seems to me there are a lot of options out there, but you’ve got insurance and taxes and those are a real killer,” said Bob Stroh, director of the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing. “We’re seeing young people staying at home until they are 25 or 30 because they can’t afford to buy anything.”

To help bridge the affordability gap, programs for first-time buyers are available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Florida Housing Finance Corp., Broward and Palm Beach counties, and many of their cities.

The programs are offered in conjunction with participating banks and lenders and some public housing agencies offer homeownership vouchers that enable tenants to buy homes.

Most programs define first-time buyers as those who have not owned a home they lived in during the past three years. To qualify for down payment or closing cost assistance, below-rate mortgages, subsidies in the form of second mortgages or cash upfront, first-time homebuyers have to meet certain income and purchase price limits and credit requirements, and live in a state, city or county offering such aid.

As a first-time buyer, you can look online or contact your city, county or the state Housing Finance Corp. to learn about available assistance. You can fill out applications online or in person. You must attend mandatory seminars on home ownership and meet with a counselor who reviews your income, credit rating and debts and decides how much help you can receive.

“There are plenty of options for first-time buyers today,” said Sean Donahue, vice president of sales at HomeBanc Mortgage Corp., in Deerfield Beach. “It’s turned into really a buyer’s market.”

Much of the aid offered by cities and counties comes from the federal government’s HOME program and Florida’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership program, which are designed to help low- and moderate-income residents.

Broward County’s program is not limited to first-time buyers and offers help with down payments and closing costs based on income. To qualify, the household’s annual income cannot exceed $72,720 for one or two people and $84,840 for three or more. Buyers are asked to contact a participating lender listed on the county’s Web site to determine if they qualify.

Cities that administer these programs can add their own funding or use community development block grants for their first-time buyer priorities.

Real estate agents advise first-time buyers to decide where they want to live and meet with a mortgage expert to learn what they can afford.