Federal Way, WA
A better way to mortgage in Federal Way, WA.
Your Federal Way purchase, financed on your terms — conventional, FHA, high-balance — with the Federal Way legwork handled from Steel Lake on out.
Who can help me get a mortgage in Federal Way, WA?
Choice Home Mortgage can. We arrange Federal Way home loans through licensed partner brokers in Washington and coordinate each Federal Way file ourselves; our own license is California's (NMLS #2629064). Owner Esther Buede coordinates it personally, and we compare many lenders for it.
For Federal Way, FHFA's 2026 one-unit limit is $1,063,750 (King County), which is where a loan stops being conforming and becomes jumbo. Everything from the first call to closing runs by phone and online.
Federal Way home loans, the honest version.
Federal Way occupies the southern end of King County between Seattle and Tacoma, offering the Seattle-metro high-balance ceiling at prices below either city’s median; I-5 and proximity to the Port of Tacoma plus Seattle tech commuters create dual-direction demand.
So the Federal Way strategy starts with the market, not the rate sheet. Because King County is high-cost, a Federal Way one-unit purchase can reach $1,063,750 and stay conforming on a Federal Way file. Which is why high-balance and jumbo structures are everyday Federal Way work — step one on a Federal Way file is placing the price against $1,063,750. Federal Way’s price tier is solidly middle-of-market, the same reality behind King County’s high-cost limit. Source: FHFA 2026 limits. We’ll verify your numbers.
2026 loan limits checked against FHFA’s county file; this page was last updated October 13, 2026.
From Steel Lake over to Campus Highlands, Federal Way’s 92,000-plus residents sit within minutes of Auburn and Kent. Federal Way isn’t an abstraction to us — we know it down to Steel Lake Park. From Steel Lake, Twin Lakes, Redondo, and Campus Highlands to everywhere else on the Federal Way map — the financing reaches all of it. Federal Way buyers reach us in one call; the loan runs online from there, with the Federal Way market knowledge built in. We work 28 cities across Washington; Federal Way gets the same discipline as all of them — verify the Federal Way numbers, then shop the loan.
How Federal Way buyers come out ahead.
Local Federal Way insight
From Steel Lake Park across Steel Lake, Twin Lakes, Redondo, we keep tabs on what Federal Way homes actually go for and which programs carry them.
Down-payment friendly
Conventional, FHA, high-balance carry most Federal Way purchases — and we check every assistance program a Federal Way file qualifies for.
Many lenders, one file
Many lenders bid on each Federal Way file we bring them — Federal Way buyers never shop one shelf.
The owner, coordinating
Owner Esther Buede coordinates your Federal Way loan personally, the named expert Federal Way clients would find praised across our Google reviews.
Owner-coordinated, application to Federal Way keys.
In Federal Way, owner Esther Buede (individual NMLS #2003644) is the one coordinating your file, Twin Lakes or anywhere on the Federal Way map, first call through keys. Meet the family behind CHM →
“They did what our bank of 20+ years could not — refinanced 2 of our homes in record time. The Dynamic Duo!”
The loan follows your Federal Way plan — not the reverse.
Demand around Steel Lake Park keeps conventional activity steady in Federal Way. Conventional, FHA, high-balance carry most of our Federal Way work (via our licensed partner-broker network) — and beyond those, Federal Way buyers get the full menu: VA, FHA, non-QM, and conventional. Start when you’re ready: buying, refinancing your mortgage, or just exploring — get started here or call (949) 522-7310.
Expect high-balance, conventional, FHA to carry most Federal Way files.
Federal Way borrowers who work for themselves get their own path here, qualifying on bank-statement income instead of W-2s; Federal Way investors have no-income investor financing too. The full King County 2026 loan-limit breakdown covers every unit count, not just the single-family line above. Federal Way sits in King County — see how we work across King County as a whole.
And around Federal Way: Auburn, Kent, Puyallup are all in reach. Browse our Washington service areas →
Working with Federal Way, WA buyers through licensed partner brokers — Choice Home Mortgage, California-licensed, NMLS #2629064. Equal Housing Opportunity. No Federal Way office — we work with Federal Way buyers remotely.
Before you buy in Federal Way: the FAQs.
What counts as a conforming loan amount in Federal Way?
The 2026 conforming loan limit for a one-unit home in Federal Way is $1,063,750, the figure FHFA set for King County. King County is a high-cost area, so a loan between the $832,750 national baseline and $1,063,750 is high-balance conforming, and anything above $1,063,750 is jumbo.
What's the usual first mortgage for a Federal Way buyer?
For a first home in Federal Way, the usual choices are conventional and FHA loans. Some conventional programs accept 3% down from first-time buyers. For FHA, the 2026 one-unit limit in King County is $1,063,750, per HUD. FHA loans allow 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher, under HUD's rules.
Are certain Federal Way neighborhoods outside your coverage?
No. Every Federal Way neighborhood is covered, Steel Lake, Twin Lakes, Redondo and Campus Highlands included. Prices shift from street to street, and the appraisal follows recent nearby sales; the loan terms follow your credit, income and down payment. For a one-unit home in King County, the 2026 conforming limit is $1,063,750.
Will you take on my Federal Way, WA purchase?
Yes. We take Federal Way purchases through licensed partner brokers in Washington and coordinate the loan from the first call. Our own license is California's (NMLS #2629064); we keep no local office, and the file runs by phone and online. Owner Esther Buede coordinates the file, and many lenders compete for it.
Do you cover the towns around Federal Way?
Yes, the towns around Federal Way are covered, including Auburn, Kent and Puyallup. Loan limits are set county by county, so the limit is re-checked for whichever town the home is in. Licensed partner brokers originate those loans and Choice Home Mortgage coordinates them, the same way as a Federal Way file.
How do we work together on a Federal Way purchase?
We start with a call to map your Federal Way purchase, then coordinate the application, documents and updates online. A licensed partner broker in Washington originates the loan, and Choice Home Mortgage (California NMLS #2629064) coordinates it and compares many lenders. Owner Esther Buede is your point of contact from the first call to closing.
Buying near Federal Way? We cover that too
Make the Federal Way move.
Straight answers on your Federal Way options, and a broker shopping the whole market for Federal Way buyers like you.