Tacoma Mortgage Broker: Pierce County Home Loans

Because Pierce County is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area, FHFA applies the metro's high-cost limit countywide, from Tacoma to Puyallup, Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula. For a one-unit home the 2026 limit is $1,063,750; two- to four-unit properties have higher limits.

In practice, the limit rarely binds in Tacoma proper, where many homes sell under the national baseline of $832,750. Where it matters is on waterfront, University Place and Gig Harbor purchases, and on 2 to 4 unit buildings. Staying under the limit means Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, competitive pricing and low down payment options. VA loans for borrowers with full entitlement have no loan limit at all. Check current values at FHFA (opens in a new tab).

JBLM, between Tacoma and Olympia, is one of the largest military installations in the country, and Pierce County has one of the highest concentrations of VA loans in the state. A few points for incoming families:

• Qualify on orders. PCS orders plus a Leave and Earnings Statement are enough for a pre-approval before you arrive, so you can make offers on a house-hunting trip.
• BAH. Basic Allowance for Housing is non-taxable and counts as qualifying income; many lenders gross it up. Current Tacoma-area rates are on the Defense Travel Management Office (opens in a new tab) site.
• Funding fee. For a first use with no down payment the fee is 2.15% of the loan, financeable. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt.
• Residual income. Washington is in VA's West region. Check your numbers with the VA residual income calculator.
• Assumptions. If you are selling a home with a low-rate VA loan, a VA assumption can be a real selling point; see our assumptions guide.

Everything on entitlement, concessions, appraisals and the IRRRL refinance is in our VA loans guide.

Tacoma's North End, Stadium District, Proctor and Hilltop neighborhoods are full of Craftsman and Victorian homes built before World War I. Many are well kept; many need a roof, wiring, a sewer line or a kitchen.

• FHA 203(k): the Limited version covers non-structural repairs up to a capped amount; the Standard version handles structural work with a HUD consultant. Both finance repairs into the loan and release funds as work is completed. See HUD's 203(k) page (opens in a new tab).
• Conventional renovation programs from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac work similarly with 3% to 5% down and no upfront mortgage insurance.
• VA renovation loans exist through some lenders but are less common.
• As-is purchase, then a HELOC or cash-out refinance after closing, is often the simplest route when the home passes the appraisal as livable.

Appraisal condition requirements matter here. FHA and VA appraisers flag peeling paint on pre-1978 homes, missing handrails, roof life and working mechanical systems; conventional appraisals are generally less strict. Federal law requires sellers to disclose known lead-based paint on pre-1978 homes (EPA (opens in a new tab)). Frank matches the property's condition to the lender whose program and appraisal rules fit. Banks, mortgage bankers, and credit unions offer their own loans. A mortgage broker shops the market.

WSHFC's Home Advantage program pairs a first mortgage with a second mortgage that covers part of the down payment, repaid when you sell or refinance; House Key serves lower-income buyers with below-market rates. Both have income and price limits set for Pierce County and require an online or in-person homebuyer education class. Program details are on WSHFC's Here to Home (opens in a new tab) site.

Tacoma's price points make these programs effective: the assistance can cover most or all of a 3% to 3.5% down payment on an entry-level home in South Tacoma, Lakewood or Parkland. Veterans should compare VA's zero-down option first, since it avoids mortgage insurance entirely. Use the affordability calculator to size a comfortable payment, then ask Frank which participating lender prices the program most competitively. Figures before underwriting are estimates, not a commitment to lend.

House-hacking is common in Tacoma. For financing:

• FHA: 3.5% down on 2 to 4 units; 3 to 4 unit properties must pass a self-sufficiency test where market rents cover the payment.
• VA: zero down for eligible veterans on up to four units; lenders often want landlord experience or reserves before counting rental income.
• Conventional: Fannie Mae allows 5% down on owner-occupied 2 to 4 units under current guidelines, with rental income supported by the appraiser's rent schedule.

The 2026 Pierce County limits for two-, three- and four-unit properties are $1,361,800, $1,646,100 and $2,045,700, which keeps most Tacoma multi-unit purchases conforming. Investors who will not live in the building use conventional investment loans with larger down payments or a DSCR loan qualified on the building's rent.

Start with a quick call or an online quote. Frank reviews your income, assets and credit, prices your scenario across his wholesale lender network, and sends you the options side by side: rate, points or credit, APR, monthly payment and cash to close. From there you get a pre-approval letter and, once you are under contract, Status Updates at each step: application received, disclosures sent, appraisal ordered and received, approval, clear to close and funded.

Looking across the Narrows or north toward the peninsula? See the Gig Harbor and Kitsap County guides, or the Washington page for every area Frank serves.