What your debt and your deposit actually do
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Two things move a Florida physician file more than anything else: how your student debt is counted, and what the house is worth in two years. Both are worth doing on paper first.
What your student loans cost you, by rulebook
| Balance | Conventional — 1% | FHA — 0.5% (zero payment) | Physician programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 | Your documented payment |
| $300,000 | $3,000 | $1,500 | Your documented payment |
| $400,000 | $4,000 | $2,000 | Your documented payment |
Conventional's 1% is from Fannie Mae B3-6-05; FHA's 0.5% is HUD 4000.1 where the loan reports a zero payment. The physician programme's advantage is using what you actually pay, documented. The three rulebooks in full.
★ And what the market does to your deposit
This is the calculation most physician-loan pages leave out, and in Florida it is the one that matters.
| Scenario | Starting equity | After one year at the metro's rate |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 at 100%, Orlando (−1.8%) | $0 | Negative by roughly $8,000 |
| $335,410 at 100%, Cape Coral (−4.4%) | $0 | Negative by roughly $14,758 |
| $400,000 with 5% down, Orlando | $20,000 | Roughly $12,000 remaining |
Those are arithmetic on the published declines, not forecasts, and they ignore principal paid down and transaction costs. The point is directional: at 100% in a falling market you have no cushion, and Florida metros take 67 to 130 mean days to pending when you want out. The full argument.
The Florida line item people forget
Property insurance sits inside your housing payment and therefore inside your debt-to-income ratio. It is not a side cost here — it can change what you qualify for.
Citizens Property Insurance announced a statewide average reduction of 8.7% effective Spring 2026 at renewal, affecting more than 330,000 policyholders across all 67 counties, with average reductions of 14.1% in Broward, 14.0% in Miami-Dade and 11.9% in Palm Beach. More than 150,000 policyholders see reductions of 10% or greater.
★ We publish the percentages and not a dollar premium on purpose: secondary estimates for a Florida annual premium ranged widely enough that any single figure would be misleading. Get a real quote on the actual property. Metro by metro.
What FRAME does not do for this calculation
Nothing, for a 2026 purchase. The next cycle is 2027, awards are a percentage of principal rather than a flat sum, and the physician average is $63,821 against a $150,000 cap — a gap of $86,179. Do not underwrite on it. Why the cap misleads.
Why there are no payment figures here
We do not publish rates, APRs or monthly payment amounts. Pricing is specific to your credit, the property, the loan size and the day. Send your numbers and our team will put real figures in front of you.
Frequently asked questions
How do student loans affect a Florida physician mortgage?
It depends on the rulebook. A conventional loan counts 1% of the outstanding balance under Fannie Mae B3-6-05, FHA counts 0.5% of a zero-payment balance under HUD 4000.1, and a physician programme can use your documented income-driven payment. On $300,000 of debt, conventional counts $3,000 a month whatever you actually pay.Is 100% financing a good idea in Florida?
It carries real equity risk right now. Every major Florida metro fell year over year as of 2026-08-31, so financing the whole price means starting with no cushion in an asset that is losing value, and metros take 67 to 130 mean days to pending when you need to sell. A five-year-plus horizon makes it far more defensible.Does property insurance affect what a Florida physician qualifies for?
Yes, because it sits inside the housing payment and therefore inside the debt-to-income ratio. Citizens Property Insurance announced a statewide average reduction of 8.7% effective Spring 2026 at renewal, but premiums vary enough property to property that you should get a real quote rather than rely on an average.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.