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Collar counties · IllinoisMortgage lender in Lake County, IL
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975, is licensed in Illinois and makes purchase and refinance loans in Lake County: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and non-QM. Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764, is our licensed loan officer for Illinois. For 2026 the one-unit conforming loan limit here is $832,750 and the FHA limit is $541,287.
Reviewed by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764,
Buying in Lake County
Lake County, with its county seat in Waukegan, also takes in Gurnee, Libertyville, Mundelein, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove and North Chicago. Lake County files are handled by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764, who is licensed in Illinois, from our Southampton, PA office.
- 2026 conforming limit
- $832,750
- 2026 FHA limit
- $541,287 (one-unit, set by HUD)
- Above the conforming limit
- Jumbo pricing
- Closing commonly handled by
- attorneys and a title company
- State housing agency
- Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) (general information; not a participating lender)
- Your officer
- Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764
2026 limits for a one-unit property. Lake County is not designated a high-cost area for conforming loans, so the national baseline of $832,750 applies. Sources: FHFA conforming loan limit values and HUD FHA mortgage limits.
Lake County: the North Shore to the Chain O’Lakes
Naval Station Great Lakes, in North Chicago, is the Navy’s recruit training base, so VA loans are a regular part of this market and we request the Certificate of Eligibility at the start. Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion have the county’s most moderate prices, where FHA loans are also a common fit.
Highland Park, Lake Forest and the other North Shore towns are among the highest-priced in Illinois, and purchases above the conforming limit are jumbo loans. Around the Chain O’Lakes, in Fox Lake and Antioch, some properties are in a mapped flood zone and some began as seasonal cottages. Property taxes vary widely by town.
Lake County by the numbers
- Median home value
- $345,700 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)
- Typical property tax
- About 2.58% of home value a year: median tax bill $8,923 on a median value of $345,700 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)
- Transfer tax
- State transfer tax of 50 cents per $500 of the price; counties and many municipalities add their own (35 ILCS 200/31-10)
- Largest communities
- Waukegan, Mundelein, North Chicago, Gurnee (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)
The county median home value is $345,700. The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit here is $832,750 and the FHA limit is $541,287.
Census figures are survey estimates for owner-occupied homes, not appraisals or tax quotes. We use the actual tax bill for the property when we quote.
Closing and programs in Illinois
Closings in Illinois are typically handled by an attorneys and a title company. The closing process, state transfer and recording taxes and first-time buyer programs are covered on the Illinois page. Property taxes are set locally; we take the figure from the tax record for the address.
Questions Lake County buyers ask
Does Stellar Mortgage lend in Lake County, IL?
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975, is licensed in Illinois and makes purchase and refinance loans in Lake County: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and non-QM. Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764, is our licensed loan officer for Illinois and works Illinois files from our Southampton, PA office by phone, secure portal and e-signature.
What are the 2026 loan limits in Lake County?
For 2026 the conforming loan limit for a one-unit home in Lake County is $832,750 and the FHA limit is $541,287. Lake County is not designated a high-cost area for conforming loans, so the national baseline of $832,750 applies. Limits for two- to four-unit properties are higher.
Is there down payment help for buyers in Lake County?
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) runs Illinois’s homebuyer programs, which can include help with the down payment and closing costs for buyers who meet its income and price limits. Stellar Mortgage is not a participating lender for those programs, so this is general information; the agency’s website lists participating lenders.
Who pays the transfer tax in Lake County?
The state transfer tax is 50 cents per $500 of the price. Counties and many municipalities, including Chicago, add their own, and local ordinance and the contract decide who pays each.
Illinois notice. For licensing information, go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975. Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764.
Limits shown are the 2026 FHFA and HUD figures for Lake County. Loan limits, tax rates and agency programs are set by third parties and change. Not a commitment to lend.
Get pre-approved in Lake County
Three quick steps, about a minute. No Social Security number, no pay stubs. Steve calls you back, usually the same business day.
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“You were always professional, responsive, patient, and helpful, and you made what could have been a stressful process feel smooth and easy.”Yelda A., North Wales, PA · verified review on Experience.com
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