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Harrisburg area · PennsylvaniaMortgage lender in Dauphin County, PA
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975, is licensed in Pennsylvania and makes purchase and refinance loans in Dauphin County: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and non-QM. Files are handled from our Southampton, PA office by a licensed loan officer you can reach directly. 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,
From Harrisburg to Lower Paxton: what changes locally, what does not, and how to find out in fifteen minutes what you actually qualify for.
Buying in Dauphin County
Dauphin County, with its county seat in Harrisburg, takes in Harrisburg, Hershey, Hummelstown, Middletown and Lower Paxton. Stellar lends across all of Pennsylvania, and Dauphin County files are handled from our Southampton, PA office by a licensed officer you can reach directly.
- 2026 conforming limit
- $832,750
- 2026 FHA limit
- $541,287 (one-unit, set by HUD)
- Above that
- Jumbo pricing
- Closing handled by
- title company
- State housing agency
- PHFA (participating lender)
- Your office
- Southampton, PA
2026 limits for a one-unit property. Dauphin 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 Dauphin County. Loans above it are jumbo, which means tighter reserves and different pricing.
Dauphin County: the capital region
Dauphin County is anchored by Harrisburg, the state capital, with Lower Paxton, Susquehanna and Swatara townships as its main suburbs and Hershey, in Derry Township, and Hummelstown to the east. Middletown and Steelton sit along the Susquehanna to the south. North of Peters Mountain, around Halifax, Millersburg, Elizabethville and Lykens, the county is small-town and rural.
State government, health care and Hershey-area employers mean many Dauphin buyers have steady salaried income that documents cleanly. The housing changes more than the paperwork does: Harrisburg has older rowhomes and multi-unit properties, the eastern townships are newer subdivisions, and the upper county has wells, septic systems and addresses that can fall inside the USDA eligibility map. Along the Susquehanna, including parts of Harrisburg, Middletown and Highspire, some parcels are in a mapped flood zone, so we order the flood determination early and include any flood insurance in the payment before you commit.
Dauphin County by the numbers
- Median home value
- $236,400 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)
- Typical property tax
- About 1.35% of home value a year: median tax bill $3,198 on a median value of $236,400 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)
- Transfer tax
- State realty transfer tax of 1% of the value, plus a local tax that varies by municipality (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue)
- Largest communities
- Lower Paxton Township, Harrisburg, Swatara Township, Susquehanna Township (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)
The county median home value is $236,400. 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 Pennsylvania
Closings in Pennsylvania are typically handled by a title company. The closing process, state transfer and recording taxes and first-time buyer programs are covered on the Pennsylvania page. Property taxes are set locally; we take the figure from the tax record for the address.
Questions Dauphin County buyers ask
Does Stellar Mortgage lend in Dauphin County, PA?
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation is licensed in Pennsylvania and lends in all 67 counties, including Dauphin County. Our head office is in Southampton, Bucks County, and every file is handled by a licensed loan officer with a direct line.
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Dauphin County?
For 2026 the one-unit conforming limit in Dauphin County is $832,750, the FHFA baseline. Loans above that are jumbo, which brings tighter reserve and credit requirements. FHA limits are set separately by HUD and are usually lower; we check both for the property address before quoting.
Is there down payment assistance for first-time buyers in Dauphin County?
PHFA, the state housing agency, offers first mortgages paired with down payment and closing cost assistance for eligible Pennsylvania buyers, and Stellar is an approved PHFA lender. Income and purchase price limits are set by county and change periodically, so we confirm the current Dauphin County figures on your file rather than quoting them here. Some counties and municipalities run their own programs as well; ask your officer what is funded right now.
How fast can I get pre-approved to buy in Dauphin County?
Once we have your application, credit, and the documents on our checklist, most buyers have a letter within one to two business days. If you have already found a home in Harrisburg or anywhere else in Dauphin County and are writing an offer, tell us on the form and we prioritize the file.
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Dauphin County?
For 2026 the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Dauphin County is $541,287, set by HUD. The conforming loan limit is $832,750. Limits for two- to four-unit properties are higher.
Who pays the transfer tax in Dauphin County?
The state realty transfer tax is 1 percent of the property’s value, and the municipality and school district usually add a local tax. Buyer and seller are both legally responsible; how it is divided is set in the agreement of sale, and it is often shared.
Conforming limit shown is the 2026 FHFA figure for Dauphin County. FHA limits and state agency caps are set by HUD and PHFA and change periodically. Verify on the official source. Not a commitment to lend.
Get pre-approved in Dauphin County
Three quick steps, about a minute. No Social Security number, no pay stubs. A licensed officer from our Southampton office 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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