My cousin was in the same situation last spring—good credit, decent job, but saving for a down payment in Florida was brutal. She dug into local resources and eventually applied through one of the down payment assistance programs for new homebuyers. They covered a big chunk of what she needed up front, which let her qualify sooner and hold onto some emergency funds. It wasn’t instant, but it got her into a house way faster than expected. She said it was the only reason the deal worked.
Brian Lacky