A firefighter-owned mortgage brokerage in Boca Raton, serving Tennessee firefighters across every metro in the state. THDA Homeownership for Heroes specialists. $0 lender fees for first responders. The income-structuring expertise national lenders skip on firefighter files.
Tennessee runs a true hero-specific DPA program — THDA Homeownership for Heroes — built around firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, K-12 educators, and veterans. Up to $15,000 toward down payment and closing costs, layered on a Great Choice first mortgage. Most national lenders skip it because the wholesale access is limited.
⚠️ Homebuyer education/counseling required for Great Choice, Great Choice Plus, and Heroes loans.
This page is for Tennessee firefighters specifically — buying or refinancing anywhere in the state.
Tennessee Housing Development Agency's hero-specific variant of the Great Choice Loan. DPA up to 5% of the loan amount, maximum $15,000, through Great Choice Plus / Homeownership for Heroes Plus. Eligible: veterans, active military, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, K-12 educators.
Standard 30-year fixed for moderate-income Tennesseans. Pairs with Great Choice Plus DPA up to 5%.
Down payment + closing-cost assistance up to 5% / $15,000 of the loan amount, available with the Great Choice first mortgage.
Zero down, no PMI, reduced funding fee for disability-rated veterans. For firefighters who served before joining their current field, we structure dual-eligible files that often clear closing with $0 out of pocket.
HUD federal program — 50% off the list price on HUD-owned properties in designated revitalization areas. Tennessee Firefighters qualify (program also covers police, EMTs, paramedics, and K-12 teachers). 36-month occupancy commitment. Pairs with FHA financing.
For files that don't fit a DPA program — 3.5% down FHA, 3-5% down conventional, or non-QM bank-statement loans for firefighters with 1099 side income. Every Tennessee firehouse has one.
Fire departments structure overtime differently than civilian payroll. A 24-month documented history of OT and callback pay on your paystub counts as qualifying income — but most lenders either ignore it or use a flat 50% haircut. We document the trailing pattern and submit it the way underwriting actually wants it presented. On a typical Tennessee file, this alone moves the qualifying ceiling up $80K–$140K.
Two days off doesn't mean part-time income. Most national underwriters need to be walked through your shift cycle — what's hours-worked vs. swap-days vs. paid-leave. We pre-frame your file with a one-page shift summary so underwriting doesn't bounce it for "irregular hours."
Deferred Retirement Option Programs are some of the most mishandled income types in the country. We document the DROP enrollment, structure the purchase around your current base + variable, and use the future pension stream as supporting documentation — not the primary qualifier. Post-DROP firefighters with pension income document it like W-2 income.
"You can't buy until probation is over." False, in most cases. We document probationary status as procedural rather than performance-conditional, pair it with prior-service credentials (military, related work, EMT history), and satisfy continuity-of-employment rules without a 1-2 year delay.
Paramedic differential, Hazmat, dive team, technical rescue, special operations — most fire departments have 4-7 ways to add to your base pay. We document each one, attach the department pay matrix to the file, and submit them as recurring income components rather than "bonuses" (which underwriting underweights).
We close mortgages in every Tennessee county. The cities and metros where Tennessee firefighters most commonly buy:
Yes. With a 24-month history of consistent overtime and callback pay documented on your paystubs, both are counted toward qualifying income. Most national lenders count only base salary. We've placed Tennessee firefighter files where overtime alone added $80,000–$140,000 to the maximum approved loan amount.
Yes. DROP-eligible firefighters are some of the most lender-misunderstood borrowers in Tennessee. We document the DROP timeline as a transition-of-income event and underwrite to your current base + variable pay, not your post-DROP estimate. Your purchase is structured around real cash flow today, not a forecast.
Volunteers absolutely qualify for most state DPA programs (where state programs apply) and federal Good Neighbor Next Door. We document volunteer status with a department letter, and the same continuity-of-service rules apply. Smaller-county firefighters often get priority for some local DPA programs because their counties run set-aside allocations.
If you're a Tennessee firefighter — active, retired, or family of — we know how to structure your file. No documents required to start. No commitment.