Palm Beach, FL · Palm Beach County

Mortgage Broker in Palm Beach, Florida

If you are buying, refinancing, or investing in Palm Beach, the loan you choose matters more than the sign in the yard. Joann Mathison has closed loans across Palm Beach County for buyers in neighborhoods like Estate Section, families near top-rated schools, and professionals working at Hospitality. This page walks through every loan program available in Palm Beach, Florida and how Joann helps you pick the right one.

Why buyers choose Palm Beach

Why Palm Beach

People choose Palm Beach for real reasons — from Worth Avenue to the day-to-day quality of life in Palm Beach County & the Treasure Coast. Whether you're a first-time buyer, a move-up family, a retiree relocating, or an investor, Joann prices your Palm Beach scenario across multiple wholesale investors so you see the true 5-year cost — not just today's rate.

Neighborhoods we lend in
Estate Section, In-Town, North End, Midtown
Local landmarks
Worth Avenue, The Breakers, Mar-a-Lago, Flagler Museum
Major employers
Hospitality, private wealth management, professional services
Palm Beach Housing Market

Current Palm Beach market

The median sale price in Palm Beach sits near $3.25M in the current market. New construction, established resale, and condo inventory each price and appraise differently — so the right loan structure in Palm Beach depends as much on the property type and neighborhood as it does on your credit and down payment.

Median price
$3.25M
Common loan types
Jumbo · Portfolio · Second Home · Foreign National

How Palm Beach loan options compare

Broker vs. Bank

A bank quotes you rates from a single lending desk. Joann is a broker — she shops your Palm Beach loan across multiple wholesale investors and places it with the one that prices most aggressively for your credit, loan-to-value, and program. Same file, one loan officer, better outcomes on most files.

FHA vs. Conventional in Palm Beach

FHA wins on flexibility: 3.5% down at 580+ credit and forgiving debt-to-income underwriting. Conventional wins on long-term cost once you have 5%+ down and 680+ credit — because you can drop PMI at 80% loan-to-value. On a typical Palm Beach home near $3.25M, Joann runs both quotes side-by-side and shows you the true 5-year cost.

VA vs. Conventional for eligible Palm Beach borrowers

If you qualify for VA, it is almost always the better loan in Palm Beach — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and pricing that often beats conventional even for buyers who could put 20% down. The exception: some low-value or non-warrantable condo scenarios where conventional pricing plus a higher down payment produces a better long-term number.

Condo & HOA considerations in Palm Beach

Florida condo lending changed after Surfside — reserve studies and structural inspections drive whether a project is warrantable. Joann pre-checks the association before you write an offer in Palm Beach so financing doesn't fall apart in underwriting.

Frequently asked questions — Palm Beach

How much do I need for a down payment in Palm Beach?+

It depends on the loan program. VA is $0 down for eligible borrowers, FHA is 3.5% down, conventional starts at 3% for first-time buyers, and jumbo typically requires 10–20%. On a home priced near $3.25M in Palm Beach, that ranges from $0 to roughly 20% of the purchase price.

What credit score do I need to buy a home in Palm Beach?+

FHA loans allow scores as low as 580 at 3.5% down. Conventional typically starts at 620. VA loans have no set minimum from the VA but most lenders overlay 580–620. Joann can pre-qualify you at any of these thresholds.

How long does mortgage pre-approval take in Palm Beach?+

A full pre-approval — the kind Palm Beach listing agents actually respect — takes 24 to 72 hours once we have income documentation, credit authorization, and asset statements. Most buyers submit the same day we send the checklist.

What counties in Florida does Joann serve?+

Joann is licensed statewide in Florida and closes loans throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Monroe (the Keys) — including Palm Beach County where Palm Beach sits — plus every other Florida county on request.

Can I qualify for a VA loan in Palm Beach?+

Yes. Eligible veterans and active-duty service members can buy in Palm Beach with $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance. We handle Certificate of Eligibility retrieval as part of the process.

Are FHA loans available in Palm Beach?+

Yes — FHA loans work throughout Palm Beach County for owner-occupied properties within FHA loan limits. Most single-family homes and warrantable condos in Palm Beach fall inside the limit.

How are condo loans different in Palm Beach?+

Florida condos require project approval (warrantable status), and post-Surfside reserve and structural-inspection reviews now matter more than ever. We pre-check the association before you write an offer so financing doesn't fall apart at underwriting.

How much are property taxes and insurance in Palm Beach?+

Florida has no state income tax but property taxes and homeowners insurance (including windstorm and — in some areas — flood) are meaningful line items. We build realistic tax and insurance escrows into your pre-approval so the payment you see is the payment you get.

How much are mortgage rates today in Palm Beach?+

Palm Beach rates track national pricing but the number you actually lock depends on credit, loan-to-value, property type, occupancy, and lock timing. Call Joann for a live quote — as a broker she shops multiple wholesale investors for every Palm Beach County borrower.

How much house can I afford in Palm Beach?+

A rule of thumb is 3–4× gross annual income, but the honest answer depends on debts, credit, HOA, and target payment. Our affordability calculator uses live rates and Palm Beach tax and insurance estimates.

Do you help first-time buyers in Palm Beach?+

Yes — a large share of Joann's Palm Beach closings are first-time buyers. We walk you through the entire process from pre-approval to keys, in plain English, and check every down-payment-assistance program you may qualify for.

Can I refinance my Palm Beach home?+

Yes. Rate-and-term, cash-out, VA IRRRL, and FHA streamline refinances are all available in Palm Beach. We start every refinance with an honest break-even analysis so you know exactly when you recoup closing costs — if the math doesn't work, we'll tell you.

Do you finance investment properties and short-term rentals in Palm Beach?+

Yes. DSCR loans qualify off the property's rental income (not your W-2), which is a common fit for Palm Beach investors and second-home buyers targeting long-term or short-term rentals where local rules allow.

Ready to buy or refinance in Palm Beach?

Joann answers her own phone. Get a real Palm Beach quote — no credit pull without your consent, no pressure, no sales script.