Closing before the first paycheque in Florida
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Florida gives a relocating physician more time than almost anywhere. The window is about using it properly rather than racing anyone.
The two numbers
| Route | How far before income starts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Physician programme | 150 days | Sequoia guide v1.1 |
| Conventional | 90 days | Fannie Mae B3-3.3-03 |
Both run from a signed employment contract evidencing the future income.
★ What it buys in a 67-to-130 day market
Not competitive speed. Florida is the slowest state in this round — Naples 130 mean days to pending, Cape Coral 119, Miami 98, and even the quickest metros, Tampa and Orlando, at 70 against a national 53.
What it buys is sequencing: closing before you arrive and moving once, instead of renting for a year and moving twice. Over a cross-country relocation that is real money and considerably less disruption.
★ It also buys something more valuable in a falling market: time to decide carefully. With prices drifting down and inventory moving slowly, there is no premium on haste here. Use the window to see the property twice and get the insurance quoted properly. Why that matters.
Using it
- Get the contract signed. Everything runs from it.
- Start the financing before the search, so the window is usable rather than theoretical.
- Get a real insurance quote on the actual property. In Florida it sits inside your ratio and varies enormously property to property.
- Have student loan documentation ready — it sets the price you can reach. Detail.
What it does not do
It does not remove the underwriting. Credit, assets, the property and the contract all still have to stand up, and physician programmes carry lender overlays. Nothing here is a guarantee of approval.
It also does not change your debt position, and no FRAME award is arriving before the 2027 cycle. The cycle dates.
Frequently asked questions
How early can a physician close before starting in Florida?
A physician programme can allow closing up to 150 days before the attending start date on a signed employment contract. Fannie Mae's B3-3.3-03 allows 90 days for income that has not yet begun.Why does the 150-day window matter in Florida?
For relocation sequencing rather than competitive speed. Florida markets run 67 to 130 mean days to pending, so the window lets a relocating physician close before arriving and move once, and gives time to inspect the property and get insurance quoted properly.Does the 150-day rule guarantee approval?
No. Credit, assets, the property and the employment contract all still have to satisfy underwriting, and physician programmes are written with lender overlays. The window governs timing, not approval.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.