Market Brief

Tampa recorded 71 first-time buyer closings through its DARE down payment program in fiscal 2026, and on October 30, 2026, 1,765 of 3,248 active listings with a Tampa address asked $450,000 or less.

What the city's record DARE year and its $450,000 purchase cap line up against in live Tampa listings, by property type and price band.

The City of Tampa said on October 28, 2026 that 71 buyers became first-time homeowners in fiscal year 2026 through its Dare to Own the Dream (DARE) program, a record that beat 70 closings in fiscal 2025. The program's 2026 terms allow a purchase price of up to $450,000 and assistance of up to $50,000. On October 30, 2026, our live Stellar MLS map showed 1,765 of 3,248 active listings with a Tampa mailing address, about 54 percent, asking $450,000 or less, against 408 pending or under-contract homes, about 4.3 listings per contract. Single-family homes in that range ran at 3.2 to 1. All MLS figures are ours, computed from Stellar MLS records; information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

This brief ties a dated city announcement to what is for sale. Our October 29 article on Tampa condos under contract covered the condo market across Hillsborough, and our October 27 article on the Tampa new construction price premium covered builders. Completed-month figures are in our Tampa median price and Tampa days on market articles, and the full series is on the Tampa market data hub.

What did the City of Tampa announce?

In the same October 28 release, the city said it had passed Mayor Jane Castor's goal of 10,000 affordable housing opportunities, with 10,770 units planned, underway or completed, and almost half of them under construction or completed. The city said it has invested more than $100 million in affordable housing and housing assistance since 2019. It named Rome Yards, West River and Marquee Square among its redevelopment projects, and said the Army/Navy site in North Downtown has more than 1,100 units planned, with more than 700 designated for income-eligible households. Tampa Bay Business and Wealth reported that the 71 DARE closings drew $5.31 million in down payment and closing-cost assistance, including East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area funds.

What are the DARE program's 2026 terms?

The city's 2026 program flyer sets these rules:

Source: City of Tampa, 2026 Dare to Own the Dream flyer. Income limits vary by household size; for a household of four, the 140 percent ceiling is $160,580. The flyer says buyers must start with an agency and must not be under contract before receiving a reservation number.

How many Tampa listings fit under $450,000?

Source: Momentum Research, computed from Stellar MLS records, live map snapshot, October 30, 2026, listings with a Tampa mailing address. Contracts combine pending and under contract. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Single-family homes under the cap were moving faster than the Tampa market as a whole. Of the 923 active single-family listings at $450,000 or less, 792 had three or more bedrooms, and their median listing had been on the market 60 days. Condos under the cap were the slowest group, at 10.0 listings per contract and a median of 83 days on market. Our Tampa condo communities directory lists buildings and associations.

Which price bands are tightest?

Source: Momentum Research, live map snapshot, October 30, 2026, single-family listings with a Tampa mailing address. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Supply under $250,000 was thin, at 92 single-family listings, and it was the fastest band at 2.0 listings per contract. The $350,001 to $450,000 band held the most choice, 450 listings, and still moved faster than homes just above the cap. New construction was a small part of the under-cap market: 88 of the 1,765 listings at $450,000 or less, including 44 single-family homes. Another 224 under-cap listings were mapped inside a FEMA flood zone, which brings a separate flood policy into the budget.

What should Tampa buyers check before using DARE?

Start with the counseling agency, because the flyer bars buyers from being under contract before a reservation number is issued. Confirm the address is inside Tampa city limits, since a Tampa mailing address can sit in unincorporated Hillsborough County. Budget insurance early: our Tampa home insurance cost page, updated October 29, 2026, estimates about $2,600 a year for a typical Tampa home, scaled from the Hillsborough County Citizens average of $2,425. Association fees are on the Hillsborough County HOA fees by community page, and statewide programs are on our Florida down payment assistance guide. Listings in the city are on our Tampa market page.

People also ask

What is the maximum purchase price for Tampa's DARE program?

The City of Tampa's 2026 Dare to Own the Dream flyer sets a purchase price of up to $450,000 for a home inside city limits.

How much down payment help does Tampa's DARE program give?

Up to $50,000, depending on household income: $50,000 at 50.01 to 80 percent of area median income, $40,000 at 80.01 to 120 percent, and $30,000 at 120.01 to 140 percent.

How many homes for sale in Tampa are under $450,000?

On October 30, 2026, 1,765 of 3,248 active listings with a Tampa mailing address asked $450,000 or less, including 923 single-family homes.

Limitations

MLS figures are a single live map snapshot taken October 30, 2026, not monthly totals. City follows the mailing city on the listing, and a Tampa mailing address includes areas outside Tampa city limits that DARE does not cover, so the counts overstate the eligible supply. Listing price is not the purchase price, and a listing under $450,000 may not pass the City HQS inspection or suit a given loan. Contracts combine pending and under contract, and our Stellar map feed can undercount pending listings. Program terms come from the city's 2026 flyer and can change; confirm them with the city or an approved agency. This article is general information, not advice about any specific property, loan or transaction.

Sources

• City of Tampa, City of Tampa surpasses 10,000 goal for affordable housing units, October 28, 2026.
• City of Tampa, 2026 Dare to Own the Dream flyer.
• Tampa Bay Business and Wealth, Tampa helps record 71 homebuyers with $5.3 million in assistance, October 28, 2026.
• Momentum Research, computed from Stellar MLS records, live map snapshot, October 30, 2026. Listings courtesy of Stellar MLS as distributed by MLS GRID. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
• Momentum Research, Tampa home insurance cost, updated October 29, 2026.
• Tampa market data hub, Momentum Research.

Disclosure: Jon Brooks is a co-founder of Momentum Realty, a Florida real estate brokerage that owns and funds Florida Housing Intelligence. Momentum has a financial interest in Florida real estate transactions, including in markets named here. See our editorial standards.