Union County Mortgage Brokers · Licensed in NJ · CT · FL · NMLS #1630225

Union County Mortgage Brokers — Older Homes, Two-Family Houses and Tax Bills Read Right

Union County mortgage brokers need to know old houses. Most of the county’s homes went up before 1960, a quarter of them sit in two- to four-unit buildings, and several towns still tax on very old assessments. We place FHA from 580 with 3.5% down (500 with 10% down), conventional at 620, renovation loans for houses that need work, and more than 20 loan programs in all. We work in every one of Union County’s 21 towns.

Last updated November 2026 · reviewed by a licensed mortgage broker

1Start my applicationA few minutes, no documents yet 2Call 888.958.5382Speak with a licensed loan officer 3Book a timePick a slot that works for you

★★★★★ 5.0 on GoogleNMLS #1630225 · verify on NMLS Consumer AccessLicensed in NJ · CT · FL (FL MLB 1987)Family owned since 2017 · Ridgefield, NJ

500Min Score, FHA
10% Down / VA

$700KMedian Single-Family
Sale, Jan–Oct 2026

58%Of Homes Built
Before 1960

25%Of Homes in 2–4
Unit Buildings

Who We Are

Meet Your Union County Mortgage Brokers

We don’t lend our own money. A broker’s job is to match your file to the loan program whose guidelines fit it, and in Union County the file can come with a complication: a 1920s colonial that needs a new roof, a two-family in Elizabeth where the second unit’s rent has to count, or a tax bill nobody can explain from the listing. A bank branch runs every one of those through a single set of rules. We go looking for the program that approves it.

Mortgage-World.com is a family business. I’m Chris Luis, the broker/owner, and my sister Julia Luis is a loan officer here. Our office is at 535 Bergen Blvd in Ridgefield, up in Bergen County, so we’re not around the corner from Union County. That rarely matters. Applications, documents and disclosures move by phone, email and e-signature, and you close wherever your attorney and title company schedule it. We’ve been licensed across New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida since 2017, and I’ve been placing mortgages myself for more than 20 years.

Before you send us anything, look us up on NMLS Consumer Access. It’s the free federal registry where every licensed mortgage company and loan officer has to appear.

Union by the Numbers

Union County Home Prices, Property Taxes and Loan Limits

The figures we check first on a Union County purchase.

Measure	Figure	Source
Median single-family sale, Jan–Oct 2026	$700,000	NJ REALTORS
Median townhouse or condo sale, Jan–Oct 2026	$412,500	NJ REALTORS
FHA loan limit, single-family (2026)	$1,249,125	HUD
FHA loan limit, two-unit (2026)	$1,599,375	HUD
Conforming loan limit, single-family (2026)	$1,209,750	FHFA
Conforming loan limit, two-unit (2026)	$1,548,975	FHFA
Average property tax bill (2025)	$12,019	NJ Dept. of Community Affairs
Homes in two- to four-unit buildings	About 25%	US Census, ACS 2020–2024
Homes built before 1960	About 58%	US Census, ACS 2020–2024
Owner homes valued at $1 million or more	10.0%	US Census, ACS 2020–2024

Sale prices are year-to-date medians as of October 2026. Loan limits are the 2026 figures and reset each year.

At the $700,000 single-family median, an FHA buyer with 3.5% down borrows about $675,500, a little over half of Union County’s FHA limit. So for most buyers here the limit isn’t the constraint. The exception is the top of the market: 10.0% of owner homes in the county are valued at $1 million or more, and near the top of that group a conventional loan can run past the $1,209,750 conforming limit into jumbo territory.

Property Taxes

Union County Property Taxes: Read the Effective Rate

The state’s Department of Community Affairs puts Union County’s 2025 average property tax bill at $12,019. That’s about $1,002 a month, and it counts against you in the payment you qualify on before a dollar goes to principal or interest. Average bills run highest in Summit and Westfield.

The number that trips buyers up here is the tax rate. Many Union County towns haven’t revalued in a long time, so their assessments sit far below what the houses sell for, and the posted rate is set high to make up for it. Union Township is the extreme case. NJ Treasury’s Division of Taxation 2025 figures put its general tax rate at 23.323 but its effective rate at 2.270. The state’s Department of Community Affairs puts the township’s equalization ratio at 8.89%, meaning assessments there sit at under a tenth of market value.

The general rate is applied to the assessed value, not the price you pay. Multiply a sale price by Union Township’s general rate and you’d get a tax bill about ten times too high. The effective rate is the one that tells you what a house costs in property tax. Better still is the real bill, so we ask for the current tax bill on the exact address before you bid and use that in your numbers. Every town’s general and effective rates are in the Division of Taxation’s 2025 rate table.

Two-Family Homes

Two-Family Purchases With a Union County Mortgage Broker

About a quarter of Union County’s homes are in buildings with two to four units. If you buy a two-family and live in one side, the other side’s rent can help, and the down payment can be smaller than people assume. What matters most is that you move in.

FHA: 580 with 3.5% down when you live in one of the units, just as on a single-family house. Union County’s 2026 FHA limit for a two-unit building is $1,599,375.
Conventional: 5% down on an owner-occupied two- to four-unit home, plus six months of reserves left after closing. See our Fannie Mae multi-family 5% down guide for the details.
Down payment help: the FHA down payment assistance programs we place accept a duplex you live in.
Investors: without living there, conventional needs 25% down and six months of reserves on two to four units. A DSCR loan qualifies on the property’s rent instead of your personal income.

Three- and four-unit buildings carry extra rules beyond these, so talk to us before you make an offer on one. The multifamily mortgage page has the rest.

Older Houses

Buying an Older Union County House That Needs Repairs

About 58% of Union County’s homes were built before 1960. So an inspection here can easily turn up an old boiler, outdated wiring or a roof at the end of its life.

You don’t have to pay for those repairs out of pocket on top of the down payment. An FHA 203k loan finances the purchase and the work together, starting at a 580 score. The Limited 203k handles up to $75,000 of non-structural repairs, finished within nine months. Structural or larger jobs use the Standard 203k, which brings in an FHA 203(k) consultant and allows 12 months. Both can lend up to 110% of the home’s value once the work is complete, and both require an FHA appraisal.

Loan Programs

Loan Programs Union County Mortgage Brokers Place, by Minimum Score

We place more than 20 loan programs. These are the ones to start with on a Union County purchase.

Loan Program	Minimum Credit Score	Best For
FHA Loan	500	580+ for 3.5% down; 500–579 needs 10% down. Single-family or a two-family you live in.
FHA 203k	580	An older house plus the cost of fixing it, in one mortgage.
Down Payment Assistance	580	Used with FHA toward the down payment or closing costs. First-time buyer status isn’t required.
Conventional Loan	620	5% down on a two- to four-unit home you live in. Mortgage insurance can be cancelled on request at 80% of the original value and drops off automatically at 78%.
VA Loan	500	Veterans, active-duty service members and eligible spouses.
Bank Statement Loan	600	Self-employed buyers who qualify on 12–24 months of deposits rather than tax returns.
DSCR Investment Loan	600	Investment properties qualified on the rent instead of your income.

Where We Work

Union County Towns We Serve

Every one of the 21. Buying farther north as well? See our Bergen County, Hudson County and Passaic County pages. To the south and west, our Middlesex County and Somerset County pages cover the next counties over.

Elizabeth
Union Township
Plainfield
Linden
Westfield
Berkeley Heights
Clark
Cranford
Fanwood
Garwood
Hillside
Kenilworth
Mountainside
New Providence
Rahway
Roselle
Roselle Park
Scotch Plains
Springfield
Summit
Winfield

If you’re also house hunting in Bergen, Hudson or Passaic and don’t have an agent yet, see the Realtors we work with in Northern New Jersey.

How It Works

How We Work a File as Union County Mortgage Brokers

It starts with a phone call, not a credit pull. We ask what you’re buying, whether you’ll live in it, how you earn your income and roughly where your credit stands. From that we can usually narrow things to two or three programs worth your time and rule out the rest.

For a two-family we’ll want to know about the second unit: is it rented, and is there a lease? For an older house we’ll ask for the inspection report, because what it found decides whether a standard purchase loan works or a 203k makes more sense. And we’ll ask for the tax bill. Once you choose a direction, we lock your rate and the file goes to processing for income and asset documents, the appraisal and title.

Some Union County towns require a certificate of occupancy inspection before a resale closes, and an old house may need repairs to pass. We raise it at the start so it doesn’t surface in the last week.

Side by Side

A Union County Mortgage Broker vs. a Bank Branch

If you’ve already tried your own bank, here’s what’s different when a broker places the loan.

Mortgage-World.com vs. a National Bank Branch

Category	Mortgage-World.com	National Bank Branch
Programs	More than 20 loan programs to choose from	Only that bank’s own loans
Houses that need work	FHA 203k rolls repairs into the purchase loan	Depends on whether the bank offers renovation loans
Two- to four-unit homes	FHA, conventional, down payment help and DSCR side by side	Limited to the bank’s own guidelines
Your contact	One loan officer from application through closing	Often passed between departments
After a no	The file moves to a program that fits	Limited to what that bank offers

General comparison only. Program availability depends on the file. This is not a commitment to lend.

Union County Mortgage Brokers — Mortgage-World.com NMLS #1630225 | Get your free quote

Before You Choose

What to Ask a Union County Mortgage Broker

Some mortgage sites only collect your details and pass them along. A few questions sort the real brokers from those.

Licensing You Can Verify

Listed on NMLS Consumer Access
Licensed by the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance
Explains how they’re paid up front

Old-House Know-How

Places FHA 203k renovation loans
Goes through the inspection report with you
Raises certificate of occupancy issues early

Real Tax Numbers

Uses the actual tax bill, not a county average
Knows a general rate from an effective rate
Shows you the monthly tax in your payment

Two-Family Experience

Knows FHA and conventional rules for two to four units
Asks about the existing lease on day one
Offers DSCR for buyers who won’t live there

Not sure which program your credit and income fit?
Find out what you qualify for

Before You Start

What Happens After You Apply

You send the application
A few minutes online. No documents at this stage.
A licensed loan officer calls you
Someone on our team covering your state.
We ask for documents and pull credit
Only once you have decided to move forward.
You get an approval to shop with
Conventional files are typically back within the hour.

What Clients Say

Real Reviews From Our Clients

Here’s what a few of our clients said about working with Mortgage-World.com.

★★★★★

“Chris Luis is the BEST mortgage broker on this planet! If you’re looking to buy a home, definitely give him a call. Chris will go above and beyond to try to help you!”

— Tanya W.

★★★★★

“I had an opportunity to work with Chris when I did my refinancing. I would highly recommend his services to anyone. He was efficient, helpful and very prompt in responding.”

— Aurora T.

★★★★★

“Julia Luis has been very professional and has been very helpful during the process! Anyone looking for someone to assist them in their future adventures needs to have her on your side! Thank you for being there for me!!”

— Joel F.

Frequently Asked Questions About Union County Mortgage Brokers

What does a Union County mortgage broker do that a bank doesn’t?

A bank lends only its own products, under its own guidelines. A Union County mortgage broker shops your file to the program whose rules fit it, which helps most when the house is old and needs work, has a second unit, or comes with income that a W-2 doesn’t show.

What credit score do I need to buy a home in Union County?

With FHA, 500 works with 10% down, and 580 gets you to 3.5% down. VA also goes to 500. Conventional loans need 620, and the bank statement and DSCR programs need 600.

Why is the tax rate in my Union County town so high?

Usually because the town hasn’t revalued in a long time. The general rate is applied to the assessed value, and where assessments sit far below market value the rate is set high to compensate. In Union Township, NJ Treasury’s Division of Taxation puts the 2025 general rate at 23.323 and the effective rate at 2.270. Use the effective rate, or better, the actual tax bill, to judge what a house costs in property tax.

Can I use an FHA loan on a two-family in Union County?

Yes, if you live in one of the units. The 580 score and 3.5% down work the same as on a single-family house, and Union County’s 2026 FHA limit for a two-unit building is $1,599,375.

How much down do I need on a two-family with a conventional loan?

If you move into one of the units, 5% down, and you will need six months of payments in reserve after closing. If you won’t live there, plan on 25% down plus the same six months of reserves, or use a DSCR loan that qualifies on the rent.

Can I finance repairs on an older Union County house?

Yes. An FHA 203k loan combines the purchase and the repairs, from a 580 score. The Limited 203k covers up to $75,000 of non-structural work. Larger or structural jobs go through the Standard 203k, which uses an FHA 203(k) consultant.

Is there down payment help for Union County buyers?

Yes, starting at a 580 score. The assistance we pair with FHA comes as 3.5% or 5% of the price or appraised value, whichever is lower. The 3.5% version can be forgivable; the 5% version gets paid back. First-time buyer status isn’t required, and an owner-occupied duplex is eligible.

What does a home cost in Union County?

As of October 2026, NJ REALTORS put the year’s median single-family sale in Union County at $700,000 and the median townhouse or condo at $412,500. Prices swing widely across the 21 towns, so we work from the price range you’re actually looking at.

How do Union County property taxes affect what I can borrow?

The Department of Community Affairs puts Union County’s 2025 average property tax bill at $12,019, about $1,002 a month. That amount is part of the payment you qualify on, so a higher-tax town lowers the price you can reach even when the house costs the same. We use the tax bill for the exact address.

Your office is in Bergen County. Do you work in Union County?

Yes, in all 21 Union County towns. Our office is in Ridgefield, in Bergen County, and nearly all of the work happens by phone, email and e-signature. We’re licensed throughout New Jersey.

How long does it take to close a mortgage in Union County?

The purchases we place typically close about 30 days after a signed contract. A 203k takes longer, because the contractor bids come first, and on a Standard 203k the consultant’s write-up does too.