Home Purchase Loans in North Carolina
Buying in North Carolina means a due diligence fee you hand the seller the day the contract is signed, an attorney who closes the loan, and an excise tax the seller pays. We are a North Carolina-licensed mortgage lender, price every loan type side by side, and are licensed statewide, in all 100 counties, closing at a North Carolina attorney’s office near you.
North Carolina Mortgage Lender License L-205335. NMLS #1925352.
Buying in North Carolina, 2026
Conforming limit
$832,750 in every county
Down payment
From 3% conventional, 3.5% FHA, 0% VA
Due diligence fee
Paid to the seller at contract, credited back at closing
Excise tax
$1 per $500 of the price, paid by the seller
Closing
A North Carolina attorney you choose
3%
Minimum down payment on a conventional loan
$832,750
2026 conforming limit in every North Carolina county
100
North Carolina counties, licensed statewide
4.9
Average of 5,300+ Google reviews
What a North Carolina purchase looks like from the financing side.
North Carolina’s contract puts the financing on a clock. The standard Offer to Purchase gives you a due diligence period, usually two to four weeks, during which you can walk away for any reason, and a due diligence fee, paid straight to the seller and non-refundable, that buys you that right. If the loan falls through after the period ends, the fee and the earnest money are gone. So we verify income, assets and credit before you write the offer, order the appraisal the day the contract is signed, and aim to clear every lender condition inside the period, so the clock is spent on inspections rather than on us.
The closing itself runs through a North Carolina attorney. The State Bar treats the title search, the deed, the closing and the disbursement of funds as the practice of law, so you choose a closing attorney rather than a title company, the attorney orders the title insurance, and the buyer customarily pays for the lender’s policy and, if you want it, the owner’s policy. The rest is quieter than most states: the excise tax on the deed is $1 per $500 and the seller pays it, there is no tax on the mortgage, and every county, Wake and Mecklenburg included, sits at the $832,750 conforming limit.
This page covers buying a home in North Carolina. For the state as a whole, including our North Carolina licence and every loan we offer here, see our North Carolina page; for the purchase process itself, see the purchase hub. If you are weighing programs, FHA in North Carolina and VA in North Carolina go deeper, and when you own, refinancing in North Carolina picks up the story.
Three kinds of North Carolina buyers, and how we finance each.
The loan that fits depends less on the house than on your credit, your savings and how long you plan to stay.
First home
Low down payment
Conventional from 3 percent down for eligible borrowers with a 620 score and mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80 percent of the original value, or FHA from 3.5 percent with a 580 score and a $541,287 limit that covers most of the Triangle, the Triad and Charlotte. A documented gift from family can supply the down payment on either.
Moving up
Conventional and jumbo
Above the $832,750 conforming limit a jumbo loan takes over, with its own credit, reserve and appraisal rules. Around Lake Norman, south Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Asheville and the coast we price both and tell you when a larger down payment brings the loan back under the line.
Veterans
VA with nothing down
Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point and Seymour Johnson make North Carolina one of the largest military states. A VA loan needs no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, has no loan limit with full entitlement, and the seller can pay the attorney fee as a closing cost and the funding fee as a concession, which the VA caps at 4 percent of the loan.
The four loan types, and what each costs to use in North Carolina.
Program rules are federal; the last column is what changes in North Carolina. Your pro tells you which fits your file.
| Loan | Down payment and credit | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3% down for eligible borrowers from a 620 score; mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80% of the original value, ending automatically at 78% | Conforming limit $832,750 in every county; no tax on the mortgage, so the attorney fee and title policies are the main third-party costs |
| FHA | 3.5% down from a 580 score, 10% from 500; mortgage insurance for the life of the loan below 10% down | $541,287 in Wake, Mecklenburg, Durham, Guilford, Forsyth and most counties; the FHA appraisal checks condition, which matters on older Triad and Durham housing |
| VA | Nothing down with full entitlement; funding fee 2.15% on first use with nothing down, exempt if you receive VA disability compensation | No loan limit with full entitlement; the VA requires a termite inspection; the seller can pay the attorney fee as ordinary closing costs; VA caps concessions such as prepaids and the funding fee at 4% |
| Jumbo | Typically 10% to 20% down, 700+ score and reserves after closing | Above $832,750; common around Lake Norman, south Charlotte, Chapel Hill and the coast; appraisal review is stricter |
Sellers may pay closing costs within each program’s rules: up to 3% to 9% of the price on conventional depending on the down payment, up to 6% on FHA, and on VA any amount of ordinary closing costs, with concessions such as prepaids and the funding fee capped at 4% of the loan. In North Carolina the seller already pays the excise tax, so concessions usually go to the attorney fee, title policies and prepaid items.
The due diligence period and the attorney: the two North Carolina questions we settle before you offer.
The due diligence fee is money you do not get back if the financing fails, and in a competitive Raleigh, Cary or Charlotte market it can run into the thousands. That is why a North Carolina pre-approval from us is a verified one: income, assets and credit reviewed, the payment built with the county tax rate and insurance, and the file ready for the lender the day you go under contract. The appraisal goes out on day one so it is back before the period ends.
The closing attorney is yours to choose, and the choice matters. A good one orders the title work the day the contract arrives, flags survey or easement issues early, and has the closing package ready when the lender’s clear-to-close lands. If you do not have one, we recommend attorneys who close regularly in your county, and we coordinate the package and the wire with their office.
Mountains to the Outer Banks
Purchases closed at a North Carolina attorney’s office near you, wherever in the state the home is.
Six North Carolina closing customs that shape your numbers.
These decide who pays what at a North Carolina closing. All of them are on your Loan Estimate from the start.
01
Due diligence fee
Paid by the buyer to the seller when the contract is signed, non-refundable, in exchange for the right to terminate for any reason during the due diligence period. Typically $500 to several thousand dollars; it is credited to you at closing if you buy.
02
Earnest money
Held by the closing attorney, not the seller, and refundable if you terminate within the due diligence period. After the period ends it is at risk if you do not close.
03
Closing attorney
Required by the State Bar for the title search, deed, closing and disbursement. Usually a flat fee, commonly $750 to $1,250, paid by the buyer, who chooses the attorney.
04
Excise tax
$1 for every $500 of the purchase price, paid by the seller when the deed is recorded: $800 on a $400,000 home. There is no tax on the mortgage itself.
05
Title insurance
Ordered by your attorney. The buyer customarily pays for the lender’s policy and, if you want it, the owner’s policy. Ask for the simultaneous-issue rate; the second policy is inexpensive when both are bought together.
06
Property taxes in arrears
County bills for the current year go out in the summer, are due September 1 and start accruing interest January 6. The seller credits you their share of the year at closing and the escrow is yours after that.
What would a North Carolina purchase cost each month?
Pick a loan type and down payment, then add your county’s tax rate and an insurance figure. The result is the whole payment, which is the number lenders qualify you on.
The U.S. mortgage market right now.
National average rates from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database: the Freddie Mac survey for conventional and the Optimal Blue indices for FHA and VA, shown as third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros pricing. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, down payment, loan type, the property and the day you lock.
Conventional 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.40%
FHA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.18%
VA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.09%
Sources: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (conventional, 30-year national average, week of Oct 8, 2026) and Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (FHA and VA, 30-year national averages as of Oct 8, 2026), distributed through FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; the figures and dates refresh automatically from the source. These are third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros rates and not an offer of credit. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, loan type, property and lock date.
How a North Carolina purchase works with us.
Four steps, one licensed pro, and a closing at a North Carolina attorney’s office near you.
1
Pre-approval before you offer
Income, assets and credit verified, with the county tax rate and insurance in the payment, so the due diligence fee is never at risk because of the lender.
2
The right loan, priced side by side
Conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo compared for your file, with the attorney fee and title policies already in the estimate.
3
Inside the due diligence period
Appraisal ordered the day the contract is signed, conditions cleared early, your attorney’s title work started at once.
4
Close with your attorney
Signing at a North Carolina closing attorney’s office near you. We coordinate the closing package and the wire; the costs on the statement match the Loan Estimate.
Ready to buy in North Carolina?
A North Carolina-licensed pro gives you a verified pre-approval with the attorney fee, title and taxes already in the numbers, before the due diligence clock starts. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
Buying in North Carolina, answered.
The questions North Carolina buyers ask us most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
What closing costs does a North Carolina buyer pay?
The lender’s fees, the closing attorney’s fee, the lender’s title policy and the owner’s policy if you want one, an appraisal, the first year of homeowners insurance, and prepaid taxes and interest. The seller pays the excise tax, and there is no tax on the mortgage. On a $400,000 purchase with 5 percent down, plan on roughly 2 to 3 percent of the price before any seller credit, plus the due diligence fee you paid at contract, which comes back as a credit.
What is the due diligence fee, and do I get it back?
It is a payment from you to the seller when the contract is signed, in exchange for the right to cancel for any reason during the due diligence period. It is not refundable if you cancel, but it is credited toward your purchase if you close. The amount is negotiated; in hot markets it can be several thousand dollars, which is why we verify your financing before you write the offer.
How much do I need down?
Conventional loans start at 3 percent down for eligible borrowers with a 620 credit score, FHA at 3.5 percent with a 580 score, and VA loans need nothing down for eligible veterans. A documented gift from family can supply the down payment on all three. Jumbo loans above $832,750 typically want 10 to 20 percent.
Why do I need an attorney to close?
The North Carolina State Bar treats the title search, deed preparation, the closing itself and the disbursement of funds as the practice of law, so a licensed North Carolina attorney has to handle them. You choose and pay the attorney, usually a flat fee. If you do not have one, we recommend an attorney who closes regularly in your county.
Can the lender clear the loan inside the due diligence period?
That is the goal on every North Carolina file. With a verified pre-approval in hand, the appraisal ordered on day one and your documents already reviewed, most conditions are cleared before the period ends, so you know where the financing stands before your right to walk away expires.
Do I have to come to Michigan?
No. Your licensed pro handles the loan by phone, email and e-signature, and the closing happens in North Carolina at your attorney’s office, because North Carolina requires the attorney to conduct it. Our North Carolina licence is what allows us to do this.
Talk to a North Carolina-licensed pro about buying a home.
Tell us what you are looking to do and where in North Carolina. A licensed pro will call back, usually the same business day. Asking does not start a loan or require a hard credit pull.
Prefer to talk?
248-416-1361
Open 24/7. Ask for your pro by name.
Visit our office
880 W. Long Lake Rd, Suite 300
Troy, Michigan 48098, just off I-75. Free parking.
Licensed and reviewed
North Carolina Mortgage Lender License L-205335. NMLS #1925352. Rated 4.9 across 5,300+ Google reviews.