Mortgage lender in King County, WA

Buying in King County

King County, with its county seat in Seattle, also takes in Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Kirkland, Redmond and Auburn. King County files are handled by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764, who is licensed in Washington, from our Southampton, PA office.

2026 conforming limit

$1,063,750 (high-cost area)

2026 FHA limit

$1,063,750 (one-unit, set by HUD)

Above the conforming limit

Jumbo pricing

Closing commonly handled by

escrow and title company

State housing agency

Washington State Housing Finance Commission (general information; not a participating lender)

Your officer

Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764

2026 limits for a one-unit property. King County is designated a high-cost area for conforming loans, so its limit is above the national baseline of $832,750. Sources: FHFA conforming loan limit values and HUD FHA mortgage limits.

King County: Seattle and the Eastside

Prices in Seattle and on the Eastside, in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Sammamish, are among the highest in the country, and many purchases are jumbo loans. A large share of buyers work in technology and are paid partly in stock; vested and continuing stock compensation can often count as income under each program’s rules, so bring your vesting statements.

Condominiums and townhomes are the entry level. A condominium means the association’s budget, reserves and insurance are reviewed along with the buyer. Kent, Renton, Auburn and Federal Way, in the south county, are more moderately priced. Washington’s excise tax is usually paid by the seller, which matters if you are selling one home to buy another.

King County by the numbers

Median home value

$859,900 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)

Typical property tax

About 0.83% of home value a year: median tax bill $7,114 on a median value of $859,900 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)

Transfer tax

State real estate excise tax graduated from 1.1% to 3% of the price, plus local excise tax (Washington Department of Revenue, real estate excise tax)

Largest communities

Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)

The county median home value is $859,900. The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit here is $1,063,750 and the FHA limit is $1,063,750.

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 Washington

Closings in Washington are typically handled by an escrow and title company. The closing process, state transfer and recording taxes and first-time buyer programs are covered on the Washington page. Property taxes are set locally; we take the figure from the tax record for the address.

Questions King County buyers ask

Washington notice. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975. NMLS Consumer Access.

Limits shown are the 2026 FHFA and HUD figures for King County. Loan limits, tax rates and agency programs are set by third parties and change. Not a commitment to lend.