The 2026 FHA loan limit for Washington County
The 2026 FHA loan limit applicable to Washington County is $541,287, the national floor limit that applies to most lower-cost counties nationwide.
Confirm this figure before relying on it
The $541,287 figure above is drawn from a county-level HUD limit table maintained by a mortgage-industry source, not a manual lookup performed directly on HUD's own site for this page. Verify the current FHA loan limit for Washington County at HUD.gov before relying on it — for a pre-approval, an offer, or any other financial decision. Do not treat this number as confirmed until you've checked it against HUD's official published limits.
Why FHA loan limits matter — and why they rarely bind in Washington County
The FHA loan limit is the maximum mortgage amount FHA will insure in a given county. It doesn't cap the price of the home you can buy — it caps how much of that purchase can be financed with an FHA-insured loan. In Washington County, that ceiling almost never comes into play. Home prices here — across Plymouth, Roper, Creswell, and the surrounding farmland and river frontage — run well under $541,287 for the overwhelming majority of listings, with a meaningful share under $200,000 and some under $100,000. The FHA loan limit is rarely the binding constraint for a Washington County buyer. The more common problem runs the other direction — see Waterfront for a Working Budget for how buyers work around a loan too small for some national lenders to want.
General FHA program facts
- 3.5% minimum down payment for borrowers with qualifying credit.
- No household income limit. Unlike USDA Guaranteed loans, FHA financing has no income cap — see the callout below for how this compares to USDA.
- No geographic eligibility test. FHA financing is available anywhere in Washington County, unlike USDA's rural-area boundary.
- Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). FHA appraisers evaluate the property's condition, similar in spirit to USDA's Minimum Property Requirements. The home has to be safe, sound, and structurally secure — worth flagging on a lot of Washington County's older waterfront and historic-district stock.
- Manufactured homes. A manufactured home financed with FHA must meet HUD code and be permanently affixed to a foundation to qualify.
The 203(k) renovation loan: the one that matters here
FHA's 203(k) program rolls the cost of repairs into the same mortgage used to buy the home — one loan, one closing, instead of a purchase mortgage plus a separate renovation loan or a cash-strapped scramble after closing. There are two versions: a Limited 203(k) for non-structural repairs, which as of the current program rules covers up to $75,000 in rehabilitation costs, and a Standard 203(k) for more extensive or structural work, which requires a HUD consultant to oversee the scope and draws. In a market where a lot of the appealing inventory is older waterfront or historic-district housing that needs real work, 203(k) is often the difference between a property being financeable at all and a buyer needing to pay cash for repairs out of pocket. See Waterfront for a Working Budget for how this plays against flood insurance and appraisal issues on the waterfront side, and Historic Tax Credits in Washington County for how rehabilitation tax credits can stack with a 203(k) on a contributing property in the Plymouth Historic District.
FHA vs. USDA: no income limit, no geography test
Two of the clearest differences between FHA and USDA financing in Washington County are income eligibility and location. USDA Guaranteed loans cap household income at a set threshold and require the property to sit inside a USDA-eligible rural area (see Washington County USDA Eligibility — eligibility here is expected to run nearly countywide, but still has to be verified address by address). FHA has no income limit and no geographic eligibility test at all — a buyer whose income is over the USDA threshold may still qualify for FHA financing with the same low down-payment structure, plus the 203(k) option USDA doesn't offer.
Where this fits with other financing options
FHA is often the fallback — or the better fit — for buyers who don't qualify for USDA financing on income grounds, or who need renovation dollars folded into the purchase. See Washington County USDA Eligibility for the zero-down alternative, NCHFA Down Payment Assistance for a program that can stack on top of an FHA first mortgage, and Waterfront for a Working Budget for the full picture, including the sub-$100K financing problem that FHA and USDA loan limits don't address.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FHA loan limit for Washington County?
The 2026 FHA loan limit for Washington County is $541,287, the national floor limit that applies to most lower-cost counties nationwide, including Washington County. This figure is drawn from a county-level HUD limit table cross-referenced by a mortgage-industry source, not a direct manual lookup on HUD.gov — verify the current, official limit at HUD.gov before relying on it for a specific transaction.
Does FHA have an income limit like USDA?
No. FHA loans have no household income limit. That is a meaningful contrast with USDA Guaranteed loans, which cap eligibility at a set income threshold based on household size, and which also require the property to sit inside a USDA-eligible area.
How much down payment does FHA require?
As little as 3.5% down, for borrowers who meet FHA's qualifying credit requirements. Borrowers with lower credit scores may face a higher minimum down payment requirement.
Can I use FHA financing on a manufactured home?
Yes, but the manufactured home must meet HUD code and be permanently affixed to a foundation to qualify for FHA financing. Confirm the specific unit's eligibility with an FHA-approved lender before writing an offer.
Is the FHA loan limit ever actually the constraint in Washington County?
Rarely. Home prices across most of Washington County — including a meaningful share of listings under $200,000, and some under $100,000 — sit far below the $541,287 limit. The more common financing hurdle here runs the other direction: a loan small enough that some national lenders don't want to write it. See the financing landing page for how buyers work around that.
Want the current FHA loan limit confirmed for your purchase?
Travis can verify the current FHA loan limit, talk through whether a 203(k) makes sense for a specific property, and connect you with an FHA-approved lender.
Data note: The FHA loan limit and 203(k) program figures on this page are drawn from third-party and industry sources and are subject to change. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or lending advice. Verify current limits at HUD.gov and with an FHA-approved lender before making financial decisions.