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Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg area · VirginiaMortgage lender in Stafford County, VA
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975, is licensed in Virginia and makes purchase and refinance loans in Stafford County: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and non-QM. Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764, is our licensed loan officer for Virginia. For 2026 the one-unit conforming loan limit here is $1,249,125 and the FHA limit is $1,249,125.
Reviewed by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764,
From Stafford to North Stafford: what changes locally, what does not, and how to find out in fifteen minutes what you actually qualify for.
Buying in Stafford County
Stafford County, with its county seat in Stafford, takes in Stafford, Falmouth, Aquia Harbour and North Stafford. Stafford County files are handled personally by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764, who is licensed in Virginia, from our Southampton, PA office.
- 2026 conforming limit
- $1,249,125 (high-cost area)
- 2026 FHA limit
- $1,249,125 (one-unit, set by HUD)
- Above that
- Jumbo pricing
- Closing handled by
- settlement agent
- State housing agency
- Virginia Housing (not a participating lender)
- Your officer
- Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764
2026 limits for a one-unit property. Stafford County is designated a high-cost area for conforming loans. Sources: FHFA conforming loan limit values and HUD FHA mortgage limits.
Stafford County sits inside the Washington, DC metropolitan high-cost area, so its conforming limit is the FHFA ceiling of $1,249,125 rather than the national baseline of $832,750. That matters: a loan that would be jumbo elsewhere in Virginia can still be a conforming loan here, with conforming pricing and guidelines.
Stafford County: between Quantico and Fredericksburg
Stafford County lies between Prince William County and Fredericksburg. Garrisonville and North Stafford are closest to Quantico; Aquia Harbour is a gated community on Aquia Creek; Falmouth and South Stafford sit across the Rappahannock from Fredericksburg; and Hartwood, to the west, is rural.
Marine Corps Base Quantico extends into the county, so VA loans are a large share of purchases, often on orders with a fixed report date; we order the Certificate of Eligibility at once. Stafford is inside the Washington metropolitan high-cost area, so its conforming loan limit is higher than the national baseline. Planned communities carry association dues that count in the payment. Homes on Aquia Creek and the Potomac may be in a mapped flood zone, and western Stafford has wells and septic systems.
Stafford County by the numbers
- Median home value
- $485,100 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)
- Typical property tax
- About 0.70% of home value a year: median tax bill $3,410 on a median value of $485,100 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)
- Transfer tax
- Recordation tax of 25 cents per $100 and a grantor tax of 50 cents per $500; localities may add their own (Va. Code § 58.1-801)
- Largest communities
- Aquia Harbour, Stafford Courthouse, Falmouth, Southern Gateway (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)
The county median home value is $485,100. The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit here is $1,249,125 and the FHA limit is $1,249,125.
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 Virginia
Closings in Virginia are typically handled by a settlement agent. The closing process, state transfer and recording taxes and first-time buyer programs are covered on the Virginia page. Property taxes are set locally; we take the figure from the tax record for the address.
Questions Stafford County buyers ask
Does Stellar Mortgage lend in Stafford County, VA?
Yes. Stellar Mortgage Corporation is licensed in Virginia and lends throughout Virginia, including Stafford County. Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764, is our licensed originator for Virginia and works Virginia files from our Southampton, PA office.
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Stafford County?
Stafford County is part of the Washington, DC metropolitan high-cost area, so the 2026 one-unit conforming limit is $1,249,125, the FHFA ceiling. Loans above that are jumbo. FHA limits are set separately by HUD and can differ; we check both for the property address before quoting.
Is there down payment assistance for first-time buyers in Stafford County?
Virginia's housing agency, Virginia Housing, runs the state's bond and assistance programs. Stellar is not currently a participating lender for those, and we say so up front. What we offer Stafford County first-time buyers: conventional loans with low down payment options for qualifying buyers, FHA loans with a low down payment, VA loans with little or no money down for eligible service members and veterans, and USDA financing with little or no money down where the address qualifies. Sellers can contribute to closing costs, and gift funds from family are allowed. If an agency program is the better fit for you, we will tell you.
How fast can I get pre-approved to buy in Stafford 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 Stafford or anywhere else in Stafford County and are writing an offer, tell us on the form and we prioritize the file.
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Stafford County?
For 2026 the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Stafford County is $1,249,125, set by HUD. The conforming loan limit is $1,249,125. Limits for two- to four-unit properties are higher.
Who pays the transfer tax in Stafford County?
Virginia’s recordation tax, 25 cents per $100 of the price or value, is generally the buyer’s. The grantor tax, 50 cents per $500, is the seller’s by statute unless the contract shifts it. Localities may add their own recordation tax.
Conforming limit shown is the 2026 FHFA figure for Stafford County. FHA limits and state agency caps are set by HUD and Virginia Housing and change periodically. Verify on the official source. Not a commitment to lend.
Get pre-approved in Stafford 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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