Dream Finders Homes' Black Friday promotion includes a financing illustration with a $1,829 monthly mortgage payment in year one. By year three, that same example reaches $2,282, an increase of $453.
And that's before property taxes, homeowners insurance and applicable HOA or CDD charges.
The builder lays out the payment changes on its Black Friday sales event page, checked November 14, 2026. The page lists homes at Reverie in SilverLeaf and Reverie at TrailMark, two 55+ communities near St. Augustine, along with other Northeast Florida communities. The advertised incentives apply only to select homesites.
The introductory payment may be appealing. But buyers need to know what happens when the temporary savings end and whether the offer applies to the home they're considering.
1. How does the 2-1 mortgage buydown change the payment?
Dream Finders' illustration assumes a $400,000 home purchase financed with a 30-year fixed-rate FHA mortgage. It also assumes a primary residence, a 640 FICO score and a temporary 2-1 interest-rate buydown.
The builder shows three payment stages.
- Year one: $1,829 per month
- Year two: $2,048 per month
- Years three through thirty: $2,282 per month
These payments include principal, interest and mortgage insurance. Property taxes, homeowners insurance and applicable community charges are additional.
A 2-1 buydown uses a temporary subsidy to reduce what the borrower pays during the first two years. The mortgage's underlying fixed interest rate doesn't increase each year. The subsidy decreases, leaving the borrower responsible for the full scheduled payment beginning in year three.
There's another detail in this illustration. The later rate reflects a separate builder-paid commitment to secure that rate in advance. It isn't presented as standard market pricing available on every home.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guidance on temporary buydowns explains why buyers should evaluate the longer-term payment.
For this example, that means budgeting for $2,282 per month plus the excluded ownership costs, without assuming a future refinance.
2. Which Dream Finders homes qualify for the Black Friday incentives?
The promotion is limited to select homesites, and qualifying loans must close by December 31, 2026. The advertised incentives require financing through Jet HomeLoans, Dream Finders' affiliated lender.
Buyers can purchase with another lender, but the financing incentives don't automatically follow them. Borrower approval, property approval and homesite availability also apply. A home appearing on the promotion page doesn't, by itself, confirm eligibility for every advertised term.
Individual home cards display their own estimated payments. Those figures are separate from the $400,000 FHA illustration and shouldn't be combined with it.
Before signing, ask for the selected homesite's written promotion terms, financing qualifications and closing requirements. Have the builder and lender identify the expected payment from year three onward, including estimated taxes, insurance and applicable HOA or CDD costs.
Also confirm the cash required at closing. An attractive introductory payment doesn't establish how much money you'll need to purchase the home.
3. How do you compare the builder's preferred-lender offer?
Jet's financing incentive may be valuable, but an outside lender could offer different costs or terms.
When available, request competing Loan Estimates using comparable loan amounts, mortgage types and terms. Compare mortgage insurance, upfront charges, lender credits, cash to close and the payment after the temporary buydown.
The CFPB's Loan Estimate comparison guide explains how to evaluate those figures.
Then ask Dream Finders which incentives depend on Jet financing. If you prefer an outside lender, would the builder consider a different purchase price, a closing-cost contribution or another written contract credit instead?
Those alternatives aren't guaranteed. What matters is comparing actual offers the builder and lenders are willing to put in writing.
A buyer's agent can help identify eligible homesites, ask about negotiable price and closing-cost options, compare ownership expenses and track contract deadlines. Home904's new-construction guide also covers inspections and unfinished work.
Before your first model-home visit, contact Susie Takara through Home904's buyer services. She can help compare homesites and ask the builder whether a price adjustment, closing-cost contribution or different contract credit is available, including when using an outside lender. Get the builder's answers in writing so you can evaluate the full purchase terms before committing.