Mortgage lender in Cape May County, NJ

Buying in Cape May County

Cape May County, with its county seat in Cape May Court House, takes in Cape May, Ocean City, Wildwood, Sea Isle City, Avalon and Stone Harbor. Stellar lends across all of New Jersey, and Cape May County files are handled from our Hamilton, NJ office by a licensed officer you can reach directly.

2026 conforming limit

$832,750

2026 FHA limit

$730,250 (one-unit, set by HUD)

Above that

Jumbo pricing

Closing handled by

attorney

State housing agency

NJHMFA (participating lender)

Your office

Hamilton, NJ

2026 limits for a one-unit property. Cape May County is not designated a high-cost area for conforming loans. Sources: FHFA conforming loan limit values and HUD FHA mortgage limits.

The 2026 baseline conforming limit is $832,750 nationally, and that is the figure that applies in Cape May County. Loans above it are jumbo, which means tighter reserves and different pricing.

Cape May County: shore towns and the mainland

Cape May County is two markets. The barrier islands, from Ocean City through Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor and the Wildwoods down to Cape May itself, are dominated by second homes, condominiums and seasonal rentals. The mainland, in Upper, Dennis, Middle and Lower townships and around Cape May Court House, the county seat, is where most year-round residents live.

On the islands the first two questions are how you will use the property and what flood insurance will cost. A primary residence, a second home and a rental are three different loans, and with a condominium the building has to be approved as well as the buyer. We order the flood determination at the start and put a real insurance quote into the payment. On the mainland, wells and septic systems are common and some addresses fall inside the USDA eligibility map.

Cape May County by the numbers

Median home value

$434,600 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)

Typical property tax

About 1.22% of home value a year: median tax bill $5,306 on a median value of $434,600 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)

Transfer tax

Realty Transfer Fee on a graduated schedule per $500 of the price, charged to the seller (New Jersey Division of Taxation)

Largest communities

Lower Township, Middle Township, Upper Township, Ocean City (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)

The county median home value is $434,600. The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit here is $832,750 and the FHA limit is $730,250.

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 New Jersey

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

Questions Cape May County buyers ask

Conforming limit shown is the 2026 FHFA figure for Cape May County. FHA limits and state agency caps are set by HUD and NJHMFA and change periodically. Verify on the official source. Not a commitment to lend.