Marion County, Oregon

Financing a Home in Marion County

I have originated mortgage loans in Salem and the Mid-Willamette Valley since 1996. This page lays out what it actually costs to finance a home in Marion County: where the 2026 loan limits sit, which programs work at the prices homes sell for here, and the local costs and property conditions that shape every loan from Salem and Keizer to Silverton, Stayton, and Woodburn.

NMLS #111736 · Originating since 1996
Call (503) 932-5511Visit My CrossCountry Page
The County Lending Profile

Marion County Loan Limits and Thresholds

Conforming limit, 1 unit
$832,750
Source: FHFA
FHA limit, 1 unit
$541,287
Source: HUD, national floor
Median sale price
$453,984
Source: Redfin
USDA eligibility
Outlying areas
Source: USDA Rural Development

At a typical Marion County price of about $454,000, a buyer is roughly $379,000 below the conforming limit and still inside the FHA limit, so nearly every purchase here is conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA territory, and jumbo financing starts only above $832,750.

Limit (2026)1 unit2 units3 units4 unitsSource
Conforming$832,750$1,066,250$1,288,800$1,601,750FHFA
FHA$541,287$693,050$837,700$1,041,125HUD
FHA reverse mortgage (HECM)$1,249,125 maximum claim amountHUD

USDA rural home loans: the Salem-Keizer urban area has historically been ineligible, while outlying towns such as Silverton and Woodburn have been listed as eligible. Eligibility is set by address. VA loans carry no county limit for veterans with full entitlement. Median owner-occupied home value: $438,600 (ACS 2024 1-year).

Loan limits are set every year by FHFA and HUD and take effect each January, and market figures move month to month. Ask me for a current read before you make a decision.

Reading the Numbers

What These Numbers Mean If You're Buying Here

The single most useful fact about Marion County financing is where the typical price sits against the limits. With sales running near $454,000 and the conforming limit at $832,750, the vast majority of purchases here never touch jumbo financing. Buyers avoid the stricter reserve requirements, tighter debt-to-income tolerances, and heavier documentation that jumbo loans carry, and standard conventional pricing applies across most of the market. Buyers relocating from Portland or California often do not realize this is an advantage until I explain it.

FHA is fully in play too. Marion sits at the national FHA floor of $541,287, and the typical sale is about $87,000 under it. FHA's more flexible credit standards and lower entry cost make it a real starting point for first-time buyers, and the trade-off between lower cash to close and the cost of FHA mortgage insurance is a conversation I have with almost every first-time buyer I meet. Between $541,287 and $832,750, FHA is off the table and the choice is conventional or VA.

Zero-down options are still alive here, which is not true in higher-cost markets. VA financing has no county limit for veterans with full entitlement, the Oregon Veteran Home Loan reaches up to $832,750, and USDA can apply in outlying parts of the county. Add OHCS down payment assistance, which can cover all of a buyer's cash to close, and the right program for a Marion County buyer is a function of their own finances, not a ceiling the market imposes. The work is matching the program to the person and the property before an offer is written.

The property is the other half of the answer. A subdivision home in South Salem may close cleanly on conventional financing. An acreage outside Sublimity or Scio may need septic and well documentation, a careful search for comparable sales, and a review of farm-zone rules. A home near Mill Creek or Pringle Creek may need flood insurance that changes the payment math. I identify those factors in the first conversation, not after underwriting finds them.

Your Marion County Lender

About Traci Putnam

I began originating mortgage loans at GMAC Mortgage in Albany in 1996, and I have built my career in the Mid-Willamette Valley since. Today I am an Originating Branch Manager with CrossCountry Mortgage, working from our office at 1665 Liberty St SE in Salem, and I have closed more than 3,500 loans across every kind of market this valley has seen.

Marion County is home. I raised my family here, and my professional reputation and my personal reputation are the same thing. Local agents, title officers, and appraisers know my files, and my pre-approvals carry weight in offer situations because of decades of loans that closed as promised.

My practice centers on the files that need more than a rate quote: self-employed income, rural and acreage properties, construction and renovation, VA and Oregon Veteran Home Loans, and first-time buyers who need a plan and a program. I am licensed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, and Texas, and I also lend in Idaho's Treasure Valley.

Credentials

  • NMLS #111736, originating since 1996
  • Originating Branch Manager, CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #3029)
  • Certified Mortgage Advisor
  • MWVAR Affiliate of the Year
  • Member, Mortgage Bankers Association and AIME
  • Founder, Agape Financial Ministries
  • Licensed in OR, WA, ID, AZ, and TX
“Living and working in Salem means my professional reputation and my personal reputation are exactly the same thing. When I walk into a grocery store, I may see a client I just closed a loan for.”Traci Putnam, Originating Branch Manager
County Lending Deep-Dive

Sixty Facts About Financing a Home in Marion County

Every figure below names its source. Open any category to read it.

Loan Limits and Thresholds
  1. Marion County's 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit is $832,750, the national baseline. Marion is not a high-cost county, so there is no county premium on top of it (FHFA, 2026 county loan limit list).
  2. For two- to four-unit properties in Marion County, the 2026 conforming limits are $1,066,250, $1,288,800, and $1,601,750 (FHFA, 2026).
  3. Because Marion sits at the baseline, there is no high-balance tier here. Any one-unit loan above $832,750 is a jumbo loan in Marion County in 2026 (FHFA, 2026).
  4. The conforming limit has risen from $766,550 in 2024 to $806,500 in 2025 and $832,750 in 2026, an increase of $66,200, or 8.6%, over two years (FHFA announcements for 2024, 2025, and 2026).
  5. Marion County's 2026 one-unit FHA limit is $541,287, the national floor. Marion and Polk counties share it as the Salem metro area (HUD FHA Mortgage Limits, 2026).
  6. FHA limits for two- to four-unit properties in Marion County are $693,050, $837,700, and $1,041,125 for 2026 (HUD, 2026).
  7. HUD's median sale price for the Salem metro area, used in setting the 2026 FHA limits, is $450,000 (HUD FHA Mortgage Limits, 2026).
  8. The typical Marion County sale, $453,984 in September 2026, sits $87,303 under the FHA limit, so most homes here are within FHA range (Redfin, September 2026; HUD, 2026).
  9. Between the FHA limit and the conforming limit is a $291,463 band. A purchase in that range needs conventional or VA financing rather than FHA (HUD and FHFA, 2026).
  10. Since January 1, 2020, veterans with full VA entitlement have no county loan limit for no-down-payment VA loans. The conforming limit still matters for a veteran with reduced entitlement (Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, VA).
  11. The Oregon Veteran Home Loan maximum for 2026 is $832,750, the same as Marion County's conforming limit. It is a state loan, separate from the federal VA guaranty, and the home must be in Oregon (ODVA, 2026).
  12. The 2026 maximum claim amount for an FHA reverse mortgage (HECM) is $1,249,125, the same nationwide, including Marion County (HUD, 2026).
Programs Live in Marion County
  1. Oregon Housing and Community Services' FirstHome conventional program requires a minimum credit score of 620, and manual underwriting is not allowed (OHCS FirstHome program summary, updated August 2026).
  2. FirstHome down payment assistance is a forgivable second mortgage for buyers at or below 80% of area median income, due only on sale, refinance, or transfer. Above 80% of area median income it is repayable (OHCS, 2026).
  3. For FirstHome, a first-time buyer is someone who has not owned or occupied a principal residence in the three years before closing. Purchases in targeted areas and a one-time veteran exemption are exceptions (OHCS, 2026).
  4. Homebuyer education through an OHCS homeownership center is required for first-time buyers using FirstHome. The certificate is good for one year, and Finally Home and Framework are the accepted online courses (OHCS, 2026).
  5. OHCS down payment assistance can be used for up to 100% of a borrower's cash needed to close (OHCS Flex Lending).
  6. OHCS NextStep is open to any homebuyer, not only first-time buyers, and pairs a first mortgage with a second mortgage for down payment assistance (OHCS Flex Lending).
  7. Oregon's Individual Development Account program matches savings for a down payment. In the Habitat for Humanity of Oregon network, savers earn $5 for every $1 saved, after at least three months of deposits and financial education (Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, Oregon IDA Initiative).
  8. IDA savers must be Oregon residents at or below 80% of area median income, with household net worth under $20,000, not counting one home, one car, and up to $120,000 in retirement savings (Habitat for Humanity of Oregon).
  9. The 2026 Oregon IDA income limit for Marion County is $88,250 for a four-person household and $61,800 for one person, effective May 1, 2026 (Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, 2026 income limits).
  10. DevNW's Salem office at 454 Church St NE offers down payment assistance while funds last, IDAs, and the homebuyer education OHCS requires (211info listing; OHCS DPA provider list).
  11. Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Willamette Valley is working with the Salem Housing Authority to buy, rehabilitate, and sell 33 homes to income-qualified Salem-area buyers who have not owned a home in at least three years (Salem Reporter, July 2026).
  12. USDA has historically treated the Salem-Keizer urban area as ineligible for its rural home loans, while its 2023 rural area review listed Silverton and Woodburn as eligible. Eligibility is set address by address, so check the USDA property eligibility map (USDA Rural Development, 2023 rural area review).
What It Costs to Close Here
  1. The 2025-26 consolidated property tax rate in the main City of Salem code areas on the Marion County side, including code area 24013, is $20.5445 per $1,000 of assessed value (Marion County Assessor, 2025-26 Summary of Tax Roll).
  2. Other Salem code areas carry consolidated rates of $14.1589 to $15.2537 per $1,000 of assessed value for 2025-26, so the exact tax lot matters (Marion County Assessor, 2025-26).
  3. Keizer's main code area, 24210, has a 2025-26 consolidated rate of $17.3375 per $1,000 of assessed value (Marion County Assessor, 2025-26).
  4. Countywide, Marion's 2025-26 assessed value is about 52% of real market value: $34.98 billion against $67.25 billion. Tax bills are based on assessed value, not the sale price (Marion County Assessor, 2025-26).
  5. Under Measure 50, assessed value on existing property can grow no more than 3% a year, and Measure 5 caps taxes at $5 per $1,000 of market value for schools and $10 for general government (Oregon Department of Revenue).
  6. Marion County mails tax statements October 15 to 25. Paying in full by November 15 earns a 3% discount, paying two-thirds earns 2%, and thirds are due November 15, February 15, and May 15 (Marion County Tax Collector).
  7. There is no real estate transfer tax in Marion County. Oregon's constitution and ORS 306.815 bar new transfer taxes, and Washington County's pre-1997 tax is the only exception (Oregon Revised Statutes; Oregon Constitution Art. IX, sec. 15).
  8. The county's published recording schedule includes a $5 recording fee, $10 land corner preservation, $10 assessment and taxation fund, $1 OLIS fee, and a $60 Housing Alliance Tax per document, plus $5 for each added page. Confirm the current total with the county clerk (Marion County Clerk).
  9. By Oregon custom, the seller pays for the owner's title policy, the buyer pays to record the trust deed, and escrow charges are split. Title rates follow the Oregon Title Insurance Rating Organization manual (Stewart Title, Oregon practices).
  10. Escrow agents in Oregon are licensed by the Oregon Real Estate Agency as neutral third parties who hold money, instructions, and documents until closing (Oregon Real Estate Agency).
Property Types and Local Conditions
  1. The FHA Limited 203(k) renovation loan now allows up to $75,000 in repairs, up from $35,000, for FHA case numbers assigned on or after November 4, 2024 (HUD, FHA INFO 2024-44).
  2. Since July 1, 2018, Oregon cities and counties must allow at least one accessory dwelling unit for each detached single-family home in single-family zones (Oregon SB 1051).
  3. In Salem, an ADU can be up to 900 square feet or 75% of the main house, whichever is less, one per lot, with no off-street parking required and system development charges waived (City of Salem).
  4. Under HB 2001, Salem, Keizer, and Woodburn must allow triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters, and Silverton must allow duplexes (Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development).
  5. Salem's local floodplain map names Mill Creek, Pringle Creek, Battle Creek, Claggett Creek, Croisan Creek, Glenn Creek, and Shelton Ditch among flood-prone streams, and high Willamette River levels can back them up (City of Salem).
  6. Salem is a FEMA Community Rating System Class 3 community, which gives residents a 35% discount on NFIP flood insurance. Federally backed loans in the Special Flood Hazard Area must carry flood insurance, and NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period (City of Salem).
  7. Outside sewer service, Marion County Building Inspection acts as the Oregon DEQ's contract agent for septic site evaluations, repair permits, and Existing System Evaluation reports (Marion County Public Works).
  8. A domestic well in Oregon needs no water right for household use up to 15,000 gallons a day, plus watering up to half an acre of non-commercial lawn or garden (ORS 537.545).
  9. In Marion County's exclusive farm use zone, new farm parcels must be at least 80 acres, and a farm dwelling on high-value farmland needs $80,000 or more in gross annual farm income. A lender needs to see that the dwelling was lawfully approved (Marion County Code ch. 17.136).
Who Buys Here and How
  1. Marion County had 355,777 residents on July 1, 2025, up from 348,364 in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau population estimates).
  2. Marion County's median household income was $80,192 in 2024, up from $73,210 in 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau, SAIPE).
  3. The median value of an owner-occupied home in Marion County was $438,600 in the 2024 American Community Survey one-year estimates, against $497,500 for Oregon (ACS 2024 1-year).
  4. Marion County has 128,589 households and 135,970 housing units (ACS 2024 1-year).
  5. HUD's 2025 area median family income for Marion County is $92,600, which sets the income limits many assistance programs use (HUD via OHCS, 2025).
  6. The State of Oregon is Marion County's largest employer, with about 23,000 workers. State pay stubs and W-2s document cleanly for underwriting (Marion County FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report).
  7. Salem Health is the mid-Willamette Valley's largest private employer, with more than 6,441 employees (Salem Health, 2025).
  8. Marion County is home to an estimated 19,022 veterans, which keeps VA and Oregon Veteran Home Loan financing in steady use (ACS 2024 1-year).
  9. Marion is the largest agricultural producer among Oregon's 36 counties, so farm and seasonal income documentation comes up often in underwriting here (Marion County FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report).
Market Context for Financing
  1. The median sale price in Marion County was $453,984 in September 2026, down 1.3% from a year earlier, with 301 homes sold (Redfin, September 2026).
  2. Homes sold for a median of $270 per square foot in September 2026, and the median listed home was 1,871 square feet (Redfin; listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED, September 2026).
  3. The median Marion County home spent 58 days on the market in September 2026, two days longer than a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026).
  4. Homes sold for 98.3% of list price on average in September 2026, and 29.6% of listings had a price drop, up 8.3 points from a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026).
  5. The median Marion County listing price was $498,948 in September 2026, down 4.5% from a year earlier, while active listings rose 17.9% (listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED, September 2026).
  6. In March 2026 the regional MLS reported 3.6 months of inventory for Marion and Polk counties combined, and a year-to-date Marion median sale price of $444,000 (RMLS Market Action, March 2026).
  7. Builders pulled permits for 1,323 new homes in Marion County in 2025, down 48% from the 2022 peak of 2,562 (U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey).
  8. The Oregon Employment Department projects the Mid-Valley will add more than 18,000 jobs from 2024 to 2034, led by health care and private education (Oregon Employment Department, March 2026).
Programs and Situations

Where My Experience Applies in Marion County

Self-Employed and Bank Statement Loans

Business owners whose tax returns understate what they earn. I structure bank statement and asset-based options when a W-2 path does not fit, and I set realistic documentation expectations from the first call.

Rural Acreage, Wells, and Septic

Hobby farms and acreage outside Salem, Sublimity, Scio, and Turner. Septic and well documentation, thin comparable sales, and farm-zone dwelling approvals all get handled before underwriting raises them.

Construction and Renovation

One-time-close and custom construction loans, plus FHA 203(k) and HomeStyle renovation loans for older homes that need work.

VA and Oregon Veteran Home Loans

Zero-down VA loans with no county limit for full entitlement, and the Oregon Veteran Home Loan as a separate state option for eligible veterans buying in Oregon.

First-Time Buyers and Down Payment Assistance

OHCS FirstHome and NextStep, IDA matched savings, and DevNW programs, matched to your income and the property before you write an offer.

Jumbo and Complex Files

Loans above $832,750, non-QM, and files with stacked exceptions. When a loan has been declined elsewhere, I look at the structure before I accept the answer.

What Borrowers Say

Five-Star Client Reviews

★★★★★

“Traci is a rock star! She guides you through the loan process from start to finish with her stellar communication and attention to detail combined with a warm personality and great sense of humor.”

Tami DuFault-Toomb
via Google
★★★★★

“From start to finish Traci was very knowledgeable, attentive, and supportive. She worked hard to help me meet my financial goal outcome! I wouldn’t consider ever going through this process again without her!”

Kendra Sambuceto
via Google
★★★★★

“Our experience was VERY smooth, paperwork was efficient, no crazy delays or last minute “bumps” in the road. Mortgages can be daunting but Traci and her team made it easy and fast.”

Colleen Goldberg
via Google
Read More Reviews on Google
Common Questions

Marion County Mortgage Questions

What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Marion County, Oregon?

The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit in Marion County is $832,750, which is the national baseline set by FHFA. For two- to four-unit properties the limits are $1,066,250, $1,288,800, and $1,601,750. Any one-unit loan above $832,750 is a jumbo loan here. Limits reset every January, so ask me for the current figure before you shop.

What is the FHA loan limit in Marion County?

The 2026 FHA limit for a one-unit home in Marion County is $541,287, the national floor, and Marion shares it with Polk County as the Salem metro area. FHA's flexible credit standards make it a real entry point for many first-time buyers here, and at that limit FHA covers most of the homes that sell in this county.

At Marion County's typical price, will I need a jumbo loan?

Almost certainly not. The median sale price in Marion County was $453,984 in September 2026, which sits about $379,000 under the conforming limit and below the FHA limit as well. Most purchases here are conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA loans. Jumbo financing only comes into play above $832,750, mostly on acreage, custom homes, and higher-end properties in South and West Salem.

Can I get Oregon down payment assistance in Marion County?

Often, yes. Oregon Housing and Community Services offers FirstHome for first-time buyers and NextStep for any buyer, and the assistance can cover up to 100% of the cash you need to close. FirstHome needs a 620 credit score and homebuyer education, and its assistance is forgivable if your income is at or below 80% of area median income. DevNW in Salem and Oregon's IDA matched-savings program add more help. I check eligibility for these programs in the first conversation, not after you have made an offer.

Is Salem eligible for USDA zero-down home loans?

The Salem-Keizer urban area has historically not been eligible for USDA's rural home loans, but parts of Marion County outside it can be. USDA's 2023 review listed Silverton and Woodburn as eligible. Eligibility is set address by address on USDA's map, and it is one of the most overlooked options in this county, so I check every rural address a client sends me.

How do Marion County property taxes affect my mortgage?

Your tax bill is based on assessed value, which is often far below the sale price because Measure 50 limits growth to 3% a year. Rates differ by code area: the main City of Salem areas carry $20.5445 per $1,000 of assessed value for 2025-26, and Keizer's main area carries $17.3375. Taxes are due November 15 with a 3% discount for paying in full, and that timing shapes how your escrow account is set up at closing.

Can I finance a rural Marion County property with a well and septic?

Yes, with the right preparation. Properties outside sewer service need septic documentation, and Marion County handles septic evaluations as the Oregon DEQ's contract agent. Wells need testing, and appraisals on acreage need comparable sales that can be thin outside Salem. On exclusive farm use land, the dwelling has to have been lawfully approved. I flag all of this before you are under contract so the timeline and costs are clear.

How can I verify Traci Putnam's mortgage license?

My individual license is NMLS #111736, and you can look it up on NMLS Consumer Access. I originate through CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #3029, from our Salem branch, NMLS #2515238, and I am licensed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, and Texas.

The Complete Traci Putnam Authority Center

Credit, programs, refinancing, construction, life transitions, and the full loan process, in my own words.

Visit the Authority Center
Explore the Network

More From Traci Putnam

Polk County, Oregon

West Salem, Dallas, Monmouth, and Independence. Shares the Salem metro limits with Marion County.

Conforming limit, 1 unit
$832,750 (FHFA)
FHA limit, 1 unit
$541,287, national floor (HUD)
HUD median sale price, Salem metro
$450,000
FHA limits, 2 to 4 units
$693,050 / $837,700 / $1,041,125
Transfer tax
None (Oregon law)
ZIPs
97304, 97338, 97361, 97351

Ada County, Idaho

Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, and Star. FHA limits sit above the national floor here.

Conforming limit, 1 unit
$832,750 (FHFA)
FHA limit, 1 unit
$586,500 (HUD)
HUD median sale price, Boise metro
$491,000
FHA limits, 2 to 4 units
$750,800 / $907,550 / $1,127,900
Homeowner's exemption
50% of value, up to $125,000
Property law
Community property state

Canyon County, Idaho

Nampa, Caldwell, and Middleton. Same Boise metro FHA limits as Ada County.

Conforming limit, 1 unit
$832,750 (FHFA)
FHA limit, 1 unit
$586,500 (HUD)
HUD median sale price, Boise metro
$491,000
FHA limits, 2 to 4 units
$750,800 / $907,550 / $1,127,900
Homeowner's exemption
50% of value, up to $125,000
Property law
Community property state

Traci Putnam Authority Center

Every lending question I answer, across twenty-two topics, in one place.
Talk with Traci (503) 932-5511 (call or text) CrossCountry Mortgage profile
✓ Copied to Clipboard