Mortgage Broker in West Palm Beach, FL

Short answer

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker with 100+ lenders for West Palm Beach houses, downtown condos and waterfront homes. In Q2 2026 the median West Palm Beach house sold for $651,000, just under the $667,000 2026 FHA limit, and the median townhouse/condo for $364,500, so most median-priced buyers can use FHA or a 3% to 5% down conventional loan (as of October 2026).

West Palm Beach home prices and what they mean for your loan

In Q2 2026 the City of West Palm Beach closed 311 single-family sales at a median of $651,000 (up 1.7% year over year) and 247 townhouse/condo sales at a median of $364,500 (up 13.7%), per Florida Realtors data published by MIAMI REALTORS (as of October 2026). The Palm Beach County medians were $675,000 for houses and $335,000 for condos.

West Palm Beach is one of the few big South Florida cities where the median house still fits under the FHA ceiling. At $651,000, 3.5% down on FHA is a $628,215 loan, inside the $667,000 limit. The same house with 5% down on a conventional loan is a $618,450 loan.

The spread inside the city is wide. The historic districts near the Intracoastal (El Cid, Flamingo Park, Old Northwood, SoSo south of Southern Boulevard) are 1920s-to-1950s houses that often run well above the median, with waterfront lots in jumbo range. Western neighborhoods and the gated communities off Okeechobee Boulevard and Jog Road are newer and closer to the median. Downtown, around Clematis Street and Rosemary Square, is mostly condos.

Loan limits in Palm Beach County for 2026

The 2026 FHA limit for a 1-unit home in Palm Beach County is $667,000; 2-, 3- and 4-unit limits are $853,900, $1,032,150 and $1,282,700. Palm Beach shares these limits with Broward and Miami-Dade as part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area. The 2026 conforming (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) 1-unit limit is $832,750 (as of October 2026).

Limits apply to the loan amount, not the price. A buyer looking at a $900,000 historic-district house can stay conforming with about 7.5% down; above that loan size you are in jumbo territory. Small 2-to-4 unit buildings in the older neighborhoods can use FHA with 3.5% down when the buyer lives in one unit.

Property taxes, insurance and flood zones in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach has one of the higher city rates in the county: 8.1308 mills operating plus 0.0533 debt. Adding Palm Beach County (4.5210), the school board (6.2870), Children's Services (0.4908), the Health Care District (0.6561), the water management district (0.2301) and FIND (0.0270) gives about 20.4 mills, roughly 2.04% of taxable value, using the 2026 proposed rates the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser published (as of October 2026). Downtown parcels also pay the Downtown Development Authority levy (2.0000 mills proposed for 2026), and the county library levy (0.5491) appears on parcels inside the library district. Your TRIM notice shows the exact list.

On a $651,000 house, 20.4 mills is roughly $13,300 a year before the homestead exemption, estimated at your purchase price, not the seller's capped bill.

Insurance: the 1920s-to-1950s houses in the historic districts need a 4-point inspection and a wind mitigation report; an older roof is the most common reason a policy gets declined. Flood: new FEMA maps for Palm Beach County took effect December 20, 2024, and the city said more than 1,000 West Palm Beach properties were affected. Low areas along the Intracoastal and the canals are in the higher-risk zones; check the parcel at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center before you sign.

Buying a condo in West Palm Beach

About 44% of West Palm Beach closed sales in Q2 2026 were townhouses or condos (247 of 558). The stock splits three ways: downtown and Flagler Drive towers along the Intracoastal, 1970s-and-1980s mid-rise buildings, and garden-style complexes and 55+ communities in the western part of the city.

A warrantable condo passes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project review (reserves, insurance, no critical repairs or open safety assessments, investor and commercial-space tests); the association answers a condo questionnaire. If the building fails, it is a non-warrantable condo file with more down payment, not a dead end.

Florida Statute 553.899 requires a milestone inspection for condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or taller by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (25 if the local building official requires it because of proximity to salt water), then every 10 years. Lenders also ask for the structural integrity reserve study (SIRS). Many of the 1970s and 1980s buildings are past their first milestone date, so ask early for the inspection report, the SIRS and any special assessment schedule.

Investors buying rental condos can use a DSCR loan on the unit's rent; it is a business-purpose loan, not for a home you live in.

Down payment help for West Palm Beach buyers

Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance: 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) buying at or below $568,557. The last round hit its application limit, so watch for the next one. Contact county Housing and Economic Development at 561-233-3600.

Palm Beach County Homebuyer Match Pilot: up to $50,000 matched dollar for dollar to the buyer's own cash (minimum $10,000 contribution) on homes up to $700,000. The 2026 application window ran March 30 to April 20, 2026 by lottery and is closed; a new phase would be announced by the county.

Florida Hometown Heroes: first-time, income-qualified buyers employed full time by a Florida-based employer in eligible fields (health care, school staff, first responders, public safety, child care, active military and veterans) may get up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 minimum and $35,000 maximum, as a 0% 30-year deferred second mortgage repaid at sale or refinance. It is funded in rounds, so ask us whether money is open. Florida Housing also offers FL Assist (up to $10,000, 0% deferred, not forgiven) and HFA Preferred PLUS (3%, 4% or 5%, forgiven 20% a year over 5 years). See Florida Hometown Heroes 2026.

Which loan programs fit West Palm Beach buyers

• FHA with 3.5% down: fits the median house and most condos in FHA-approved buildings, since both sit under $667,000.
• Conventional with 3% to 5% down: for buyers with stronger credit who want PMI that can come off later.
• Jumbo loans: for Intracoastal and historic-district houses where the loan tops $832,750.
• VA loans: 0% down for eligible veterans and service members.
• Non-warrantable condo: for older buildings mid-assessment or failing the questionnaire.
• Bank statement loans: for self-employed buyers whose tax returns understate income.
• DSCR loans: for investors buying rentals on the property's rent; business-purpose only.

Why use QMS Lending for a West Palm Beach purchase

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker founded in 2018 (NMLS #1781090), based in Miami, FL and licensed statewide, so West Palm Beach files close by e-sign, phone and a local title company just like our Miami-Dade files. We shop each file across 100+ wholesale lenders instead of one bank's rate sheet. The team is bilingual (English and Spanish), led by Michael Fernandez, NMLS #1491775, President; licensed in Florida (and Georgia and Colorado through December 31, 2026); 4.9 stars across 200+ Google reviews. Rates vary daily; call 305-425-1990 for today's pricing. Subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Down payment help for West Palm Beach buyers

• Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Up to $100,000, 0% deferred, forgiven after 30 years; first-time buyers up to 140% AMI; price cap $568,557; funded in rounds (last round reached its application limit). ↗
• Palm Beach County Homebuyer Match Pilot Up to $50,000 matching the buyer's cash (min. $10,000); homes up to $700,000; 2026 lottery window closed April 20, 2026. ↗
• Florida Hometown Heroes Up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000, 0% 30-year deferred second; first-time buyers working full time for a Florida employer. Funded in rounds. ↗

Nearby cities

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