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Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg area · VirginiaFrom Stafford to North Stafford: what changes locally, what does not, and how to find out in fifteen minutes what you actually qualify for.
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.
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.
Virginia closings are conducted by a licensed settlement agent, which can be a title company or an attorney. Virginia's independent cities (Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Alexandria, and thirty-odd others) are separate from the counties that surround them, with their own property tax rates and recording offices, so a Richmond address and a Henrico County address are different jurisdictions even when they share a ZIP code.
Virginia charges a state recordation tax on the deed and the mortgage, with a local add-on in most jurisdictions; the buyer customarily pays these. The seller customarily pays the grantor's tax and, in Northern Virginia, the regional congestion relief fee. As everywhere, custom is not law and the contract controls; we walk through the estimate line by line so the cash-to-close number is not a surprise. More on Virginia closing costs.
We are not currently a participating lender for Virginia Housing's bond and down payment assistance products. What we do offer Virginia buyers: VA loans with $0 down for eligible service members and veterans, which is a large part of the market from Norfolk and Virginia Beach to Quantico and the Pentagon; conventional loans with as little as 3% down for qualifying first-time buyers; FHA at 3.5% down; USDA $0-down financing in eligible areas outside the metros; and jumbo, renovation, and investor programs. If a Virginia Housing product is the right fit, we will say so and point you to it. Official agency source: Virginia Housing. Program guides: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA. FHA limits are set by HUD for each county or city; we check the figure for the property address before quoting.
Northern Virginia sits in the FHFA high-cost area, so its conforming limit is the ceiling rather than the national baseline. Richmond and Hampton Roads use the baseline. A loan that is jumbo in Chesterfield County can be conforming in Fairfax County. We check the jurisdiction before we quote.
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.
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.
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 as little as 3% down for qualifying buyers, FHA at 3.5% down, VA at $0 down for eligible service members and veterans, and USDA $0-down financing 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.
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.
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.
Three quick steps, about a minute. No Social Security number, no pay stubs. Steve calls you back, usually the same business day.
Ready to see what you qualify for?