Graham County, NC: mortgages, home buyers & loan limits
What buyers in Graham County actually borrowed, earned and paid in 2025, from the official Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records — plus the 2026 conforming and FHA loan limits.
HMDA 2025 data released June 23, 2026 · Loan limits for calendar year 2026
In 2025, lenders reported 26 home-purchase mortgages for owner-occupied, single-family homes in Graham County, NC.
Lenders denied 27.8% of completed home-purchase applications.
Key facts about Graham County mortgages
- 9.4% of first-lien purchase mortgages were for investment properties.
- Second homes accounted for 22.6% of first-lien purchase mortgages — a vacation-home market.
- 20.8% of single-family purchase mortgages financed manufactured homes.
2026 loan limits in Graham County
| Property | Conforming 2026 | vs 2025 | FHA 2026 | vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | $832,750 | +$26,250 | $541,287 | +$17,062 |
| 2 units | $1,066,250 | +$33,600 | $693,050 | +$21,850 |
| 3 units | $1,288,800 | +$40,650 | $837,700 | +$26,425 |
| 4 units | $1,601,750 | +$50,500 | $1,041,125 | +$32,825 |
2026 limits for Graham County, NC: conforming (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) from FHFA; FHA forward-mortgage limits from HUD. FHA limit is at the national floor for low-cost areas. Loans above the conforming limit are "jumbo" loans.
All North Carolina counties: North Carolina 2026 loan limits. FHFA and HUD normally announce the next year's limits in late November.
Who bought homes in Graham County
Home-purchase mortgages for owner-occupied, single-family (1–4 unit) site-built homes, first liens, originated in 2025.
Values are medians; "middle half" is the 25th to 75th percentile.
Loan type
What the homes were for
All first-lien, closed-end purchase mortgages, including second homes and investors.
What borrowing cost in Graham County
Medians for 2025 home-purchase loans. Total loan costs are section D of the Loan Estimate/Closing Disclosure (lender and third-party loan charges, excluding taxes, prepaids and escrow). FHA and VA costs include the upfront mortgage insurance premium or VA funding fee, so compare like with like.
| Measure | Graham County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-year fixed rate · conventional | — | 6.500% | 6.625% |
| 30-year fixed rate · FHA | — | 6.250% | 6.250% |
| 30-year fixed rate · VA | — | 6.125% | 6.125% |
| 15-year fixed rate · conventional | — | 5.750% | 5.875% |
| Rate spread vs. APOR · conventional | — | +0.04 pts | +0.13 pts |
| Total loan costs · conventional | — | $4,840 | $5,570 |
| Total loan costs · FHA | — | $10,360 | $11,310 |
| Total loan costs · VA | — | $6,600 | $6,490 |
| Origination charges (all loan types) | — | $1,890 | $1,860 |
| Borrowers paying discount points | — | 49.4% | 51.3% |
| Points paid, when paid (% of loan) | — | 0.93% | 0.87% |
| Borrowers receiving lender credits | — | 30.0% | 33.1% |
| Adjustable-rate mortgages | — | 13.3% | 7.4% |
| Jumbo loans (above conforming limit) | — | 3.4% | 3.8% |
Medians are shown only when at least 30 loans report the field. Rates are those reported at closing; market rates changed during 2025, which the rate spread (APR minus the average prime offer rate on the lock date) adjusts for.
Approvals and denials
Graham County: 10 of 36 completed home-purchase applications were denied (27.8%).
Denial rate
| Application | Graham County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home purchase | 27.8% | 7.6% | 8.5% |
| Conventional | — | 6.6% | 7.1% |
| FHA | — | 12.3% | 12.5% |
| VA | — | 6.1% | 8.0% |
| USDA | — | 11.8% | 12.5% |
| Refinance | — | 15.9% | 17.9% |
| Cash-out refinance | 34.4% | 34.1% | 33.6% |
Denial rate = denied ÷ (originated + approved but not accepted + denied). Withdrawn and incomplete applications are excluded. Differences between places reflect who applies, not only lender behavior.
Refinancing in Graham County
Top mortgage lenders in Graham County
23 lenders originated at least one home-purchase or refinance loan here in 2025. The table ranks them by loan count; pricing columns compare conventional purchase loans only.
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Denial rate | 30-yr rate* | Spread* | Costs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Employees' | 16 | 27.1% | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | Rocket Mortgage, LLC | 7 | 11.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) | 7 | 11.9% | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | Veterans United Home Loans | 6 | 10.2% | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | Union Home Mortgage Corp. | 3 | 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | Freedom Mortgage Corporation | 2 | 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | USAA Federal Savings Bank | 2 | 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | 254900m2c4q6datp2889 | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | Amerant Mortgage, LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | loanDepot.com, LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Movement Mortgage, LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | Newrez LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | Plains Commerce Bank | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | Southern First Bank | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | Milend, Inc. | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | Schumacher Mortgage LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | New Day Financial, LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | The Central Trust Bank | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Reliance First Capital, LLC | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | Regions Bank | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | United Community Bank | 1 | 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
Lenders in Graham County, NC. Loans = home-purchase, refinance and cash-out originations (2025); share = share of those loans here; denial rate = home-purchase applications. *Medians for conventional home-purchase loans, shown with at least 20 loans; spread = APR minus the average prime offer rate at rate lock (percentage points); costs = total loan costs (section D).
Check a quote for Graham County
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Compare your origination charges and total loan costs with 2025 loans of the same type and size in North Carolina and Graham County.
Monthly payment calculator
Principal, interest, property tax (0.57% typical effective rate here) and insurance, with Graham County defaults.
Typical effective property-tax rate 0.57% = median real estate taxes ÷ median home value, U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Purchase loans | Median loan | Buyer income | Conforming limit | FHA limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County, NC | 20 mi | 204 | $255,000 | $81,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Clay County, NC | 21 mi | 87 | $295,000 | $96,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Blount County, TN | 24 mi | 1,593 | $345,000 | $110,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Monroe County, TN | 25 mi | 344 | $275,000 | $92,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Swain County, NC | 26 mi | 74 | $245,000 | $107,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Macon County, NC | 27 mi | 270 | $275,000 | $93,000 | $832,750 | $541,287 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Graham County?
$832,750 for a one-unit home (FHFA). Two- to four-unit limits are $1,066,250, $1,288,800, $1,601,750. Loans above the limit are jumbo loans and are not eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Graham County?
$541,287 for a one-unit home (HUD). This is the national floor for low-cost areas.
How often are mortgage applications denied in Graham County?
27.8% of completed home-purchase applications were denied in 2025.
Sources: FFIEC/CFPB HMDA 2025 public loan/application register (Snapshot as of June 1, 2026); FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits; HUD 2026 FHA forward-mortgage limits; U.S. Census Bureau. Figures describe typical 2025 loans, not your offer. Methodology