Mortgage Broker in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Short answer

The median single-family home in Palm Beach Gardens sold for $1,000,000 in Q3 2026, so a buyer who puts down at least $167,250 (16.7%) stays under the $832,750 conforming limit and avoids a jumbo loan. QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker that compares Palm Beach Gardens purchases and refinances, conforming or jumbo, across 100+ lenders in English and Spanish.

Palm Beach Gardens home prices as of October 2026

Palm Beach Gardens recorded 219 single-family sales in Q3 2026 at a median of $1,000,000, down 3.1% from a year earlier, with an average sale price of $1,437,044, per Florida Realtors data published by MIAMI REALTORS (released October 16, 2026). Townhouses and condos sold 141 times at a median of $400,000, up 6.7%. Countywide, Palm Beach medians were $655,000 for houses and $307,500 for condos and townhouses.

Two numbers stand out. First, 108 of the 219 house sales (about 49%) were paid in cash, so a financed buyer often competes with cash offers and needs a clean, fully underwritten pre-approval. Second, the gap between the median ($1.0 million) and the average ($1.44 million) shows how many sales happen far above the middle, in the gated golf communities.

Conforming or jumbo: the math at the median

The 2026 conforming limit for a 1-unit home is $832,750 and the 2026 FHA limit in Palm Beach County is $667,000 (as of October 2026). A loan above $832,750 is a jumbo loan, with its own credit, reserve and down payment rules that vary by lender.

At the $1,000,000 median, your down payment decides which side of that line you land on:

• 20% down ($200,000): loan $800,000, conforming.
• 16.7% down ($167,250): loan $832,750, right at the conforming limit.
• 10% down ($100,000): loan $900,000, jumbo.

That makes Palm Beach Gardens one of the few South Florida cities where a typical buyer can choose. Some buyers put down the extra to stay conforming; others keep cash in the bank, take a jumbo, and show that cash as reserves, which jumbo lenders look at closely. Above roughly $1.04 million, even 20% down produces a jumbo loan amount. We price both paths on the same day so you can compare payment and cash to close.

Closing costs scale with the loan. Florida charges documentary stamp tax on the note at $0.35 per $100 and intangible tax at 2 mills (0.2%) of the mortgage. On an $800,000 loan that is $2,800 plus $1,600, before title, appraisal and lender fees. See Florida closing costs for buyers.

Golf-community HOAs and club dues

Palm Beach Gardens has 12 golf courses inside city limits, and many of its best-known neighborhoods, such as PGA National, BallenIsles, Mirasol and Old Palm, are gated golf communities. For a mortgage, the golf part matters because of what you pay every month on top of principal, interest, taxes and insurance.

• HOA dues count in your debt-to-income ratio. Lenders use the amount on the HOA estoppel or budget, not an estimate.
• Club dues: in some communities a club membership is required to own there. If it is mandatory, underwriting can treat the dues like an HOA payment. If it is optional, it usually stays out of the ratio. Ask the listing agent which applies before you write an offer.
• Initiation or capital contribution fees due at closing reduce the cash you have left for reserves. Get the figure in writing early through the estoppel certificate.
• Special assessments for roads, gates, clubhouses or drainage show up in the HOA documents. A pending special assessment can change both your payment and the lender's review.

Palm Beach Gardens property taxes and flood zones

The City of Palm Beach Gardens' proposed 2026 operating rate is 5.0537 mills. Adding Palm Beach County (4.5000 operating plus 0.0210 debt), the school district (3.0390 plus 3.2480), the county library district (0.5491), Children's Services Council (0.4908), Health Care District (0.6561), the South Florida Water Management District (0.2301 combined) and FIND (0.0270) gives roughly 17.8 mills, about 1.78% of taxable value, per the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's 2026 proposed rates (revised July 29, 2026).

The city runs its own fire rescue; Palm Beach Gardens does not appear on Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's list of municipalities it serves, so the county Fire/Rescue MSTU (3.4581 mills) that hits nearby Wellington is not in this estimate. That is a real difference from Wellington. Final rates are set in September, and some neighborhoods pay non-ad valorem assessments for drainage or improvement districts, so check the exact parcel on pbcpao.gov.

On a $1,000,000 purchase, 17.8 mills is about $17,800 a year before the homestead exemption. Use your purchase price, not the seller's bill: the Save Our Homes cap resets at sale.

Flood: Palm Beach Gardens is on Palm Beach County's list of communities affected by the FEMA flood maps that took effect December 20, 2024. If a lot near a canal, lake or the Intracoastal moved into a Special Flood Hazard Area, flood insurance is required for the loan. Check the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and read what a flood zone means for your loan. Ask for a wind mitigation report too; it can lower the windstorm premium.

Condos, FHA and down payment help

At the $400,000 condo and townhouse median, FHA with 3.5% down ($14,000) fits easily under the $667,000 limit, as long as the project is FHA-approved or the unit gets single-unit approval. FHA adds a 1.75% upfront premium and annual MIP of 0.55% (0.50% with more than 5% down) on base loans up to $726,200. A 5% down conventional loan is the usual comparison.

Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance has offered up to $100,000 as a 0% deferred loan forgiven after 30 years, for first-time buyers up to 140% of area median income ($114,660 for one person, $163,660 for four) on homes priced up to $568,557. The last round reached its application limit, so it is closed until the county reopens it. Call HED at 561-233-3606.

Florida Hometown Heroes offers up to 5% of the first mortgage ($10,000 to $35,000) as a 0% deferred 30-year second mortgage for first-time, income-qualified buyers in eligible jobs, plus military and veterans. It is not forgivable. See our Hometown Heroes guide and Florida down payment assistance programs.

Self-employed, investors and why use a broker

Many Palm Beach Gardens buyers own businesses or have income that a bank's standard program does not read well. Options we compare:

• Bank statement loans: income from bank deposits instead of tax returns. See how the income is calculated.
• Jumbo loans: full documentation for loan amounts above $832,750.
• HELOC: for owners who want equity without refinancing a low first mortgage.

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker in Miami, FL, founded in 2018 (NMLS #1781090). Instead of one bank's rate sheet, we compare your file across 100+ lenders, which matters most when the file has a twist: a jumbo loan amount, self-employed income, a condo that needs a full review, or a buyer who wants to compare FHA and conventional side by side.

The team is bilingual (English and Spanish) and led by Michael Fernandez, NMLS #1491775, President. We hold 4.9 stars across 200+ Google reviews. Rates vary daily; call 305-425-1990 for today's pricing. All loans are subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Down payment help for Palm Beach Gardens buyers

• Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Up to $100,000, 0% deferred, forgiven after 30 years; first-time buyers up to 140% AMI ($114,660 for 1 person, $163,660 for 4); price cap $568,557; last round reached its application limit. HED 561-233-3606. ↗
• Florida Hometown Heroes Up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000, 0% 30-year deferred second, not forgivable; first-time, income-qualified buyers in eligible jobs, plus military and veterans. ↗

Nearby cities

JupiterWest Palm BeachWellington