Home / Pennsylvania Licensed Statewide · Firefighter-Owned

Pennsylvania Mortgage Broker.
From Philadelphia To
Pittsburgh.

Hero Mortgage Group is a firefighter-owned brokerage licensed across Pennsylvania. We close loans for buyers in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Erie, Scranton, and the small communities throughout the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania is a workhorse housing market — affordable Class-B metros, strong veteran population, deep manufacturing and healthcare base. We work the PHFA Keystone menu, K-FIT DPA, VA programs (Letterkenny, Tobyhanna, Naval Support Activity Philadelphia), and the full conventional and jumbo bench.

Get A Pennsylvania Quote Call (561) 486-HERO
PHFADPA
Keystone + K-FIT
3.07%
Flat State Income Tax
800K+
Pennsylvania Veterans
15DAYS
Average PA Close
Why Hero In Pennsylvania

Workhorse Markets.
Disciplined Financing.

Pennsylvania is one of the most varied housing markets in America. Philadelphia and the surrounding Main Line run premium with strong Ivy / professional / healthcare income bases. Pittsburgh has staged a sustained comeback driven by UPMC, CMU/Pitt, and the tech corridor — and remains affordable relative to comparable metros. Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York are stable mid-priced markets. Erie is one of the most affordable mid-sized markets in the country. The Poconos function as a resort and second-home market. The northern tier and Appalachian counties have their own dynamics.

Hero closes in 15 days, fully-underwritten, with PHFA layered when applicable. Pennsylvania has roughly 800,000 veterans — the 4th-largest state veteran population. We handle the active-duty footprint and the substantial reserve / National Guard volume statewide. Our typical PA first-time buyer file uses the Keystone Home Loan + K-FIT DPA combo.

Programs · Pennsylvania

PHFA, VA, FHA,
+ The Full Menu.

PHFA Keystone Home Loan + K-FIT DPA.

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's flagship first-time-buyer program. The Keystone Home Loan is a competitive 30-year fixed first mortgage (FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional). The K-FIT (Keystone Forgivable in Ten Year) DPA layers on top — up to 5% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value as a forgivable second mortgage, 10% forgiven per year, fully forgiven at year 10 of occupancy as primary residence.

PHFA also runs the HFA Preferred conventional product (Fannie Mae partnership with reduced MI), the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program (a federal tax credit up to $2,000/year on mortgage interest paid), and the HOMEstead closing-cost assistance program. We pre-screen all stacking options on every Pennsylvania file.

VA Loans In Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has roughly 800,000 veterans — the 4th-largest state veteran population. Active-duty installations include Letterkenny Army Depot (Chambersburg), Tobyhanna Army Depot (northeast PA), Naval Support Activity Philadelphia, and Carlisle Barracks (Army War College). The 2026 baseline VA loan limit is $832,750 across Pennsylvania — no high-cost counties. Full-entitlement veterans buy at any price with $0 down. Pike County, on the NY border, was historically high-cost but no longer breaks the threshold.

FHA In Pennsylvania.

2026 FHA single-family limits sit at the baseline $524,225 across most of Pennsylvania, with Philadelphia-area counties (Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Philadelphia) at modestly higher limits. Pike County (NY metro overlap) sits highest. Multi-unit limits scale up substantially — Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both have major 2-4 unit inventory.

Jumbo In Philadelphia & The Main Line.

Lower Merion, Radnor, Haverford, Tredyffrin/Easttown (the Main Line) routinely run jumbo. Center City Philadelphia, Society Hill, Rittenhouse Square, and the Fairmount/Spring Garden corridor also push above conforming. We place these files with portfolio lenders that understand Philadelphia's tax structure and the Main Line's price stratification.

Non-QM & The Self-Employed.

Pennsylvania has a strong small-business and healthcare-1099 economy. Our Non-QM bank-statement and 1099-only programs serve self-employed PA buyers whose tax returns understate true cash flow. DSCR investor loans serve the Pittsburgh and Reading rental markets well — both run strong rent-to-value ratios.

Get My Pennsylvania Pre-Approval Run The Numbers
Pennsylvania · Statewide Coverage

Every Region Of
The Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania FAQ

Questions From Pennsylvania
Buyers, Answered.

What's the PHFA Keystone Home Loan + K-FIT DPA and how does it work?

Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's flagship first-time-buyer combo. The Keystone Home Loan is a competitive 30-year fixed first mortgage (FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional). K-FIT layers on as a forgivable second mortgage worth up to 5% of the lesser of price or appraised value — 10% forgiven per year, fully forgiven at year 10 of primary-residence occupancy. Income limits scale by household size and county; price caps vary by county but generally fall in the $325K-$500K range. We pre-screen eligibility on every Pennsylvania file and stack MCC / HOMEstead where applicable.

I'm a Reservist or National Guard member in PA. Am I eligible for a VA loan?

Yes. Reserve and National Guard members typically become eligible after 6 years of qualifying service, OR after 90+ days of active service mobilization. Pennsylvania has one of the largest Army Guard and Air Guard footprints in the country, so we see these files often. We pull your COE through the WebLGY portal in minutes, confirm full vs partial entitlement, and structure the file from there. Full entitlement = $0 down up to $832,750, no county cap above with full entitlement.

How does Philadelphia's wage tax affect my mortgage qualification?

Lenders qualify on gross income, so the Philadelphia wage tax doesn't directly affect your DTI — but it does affect your real disposable income and what monthly payment is comfortable in practice. We model the full take-home picture (state + local + city + federal) when discussing what payment fits your life, not just what payment the lender will approve. The wage tax is roughly 3.75% for residents and 3.44% for non-resident commuters; significant on a Philly file.

What's the realty transfer tax in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania charges a 1% state realty transfer tax. Most municipalities add another 1% local — total ~2% of the purchase price at closing. Philadelphia is higher: 3.278% city + 1% state = 4.278% total. The transfer tax is typically split 50/50 buyer/seller by custom but is negotiable in the contract. We disclose accurately on every Loan Estimate.

What's the loan limit in the Philadelphia Main Line for 2026?

The 2026 baseline single-family conforming loan limit is $832,750 statewide — Pennsylvania has no FHFA-designated high-cost counties for 2026. Above $832,750, files run jumbo. Lower Merion, Radnor, Tredyffrin/Easttown, and parts of Bucks County routinely see jumbo activity. We place these with portfolio lenders that understand Main Line pricing and the tax-structure complexity.

Pittsburgh has affordable housing. Is it a good investor market?

Yes — Pittsburgh runs strong rent-to-value ratios in many neighborhoods (Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Squirrel Hill, Brookline, Sheraden) and offers DSCR-friendly cash-flow math. We qualify on projected rent rather than your personal tax returns. Common Pittsburgh investor structure: 25% down, DSCR 1.0+, 30-year fixed. Multiple-property portfolio builders are well-served by Non-QM portfolio lenders that don't cap the number of financed properties.

How fast can you close a Pennsylvania mortgage?

Our average Pennsylvania close is 15 days from contract acceptance. Variables: appraisal turn (5-8 days in major metros, 10-14 days in rural / Allegheny mountain areas), title (PA runs 5-7 days typically — title work is more involved than southern states due to older deeds), and PHFA layering if applicable adds 2-3 days for program review. VA IRRRL and FHA Streamline refinances often close in 10 days.

For Every Pennsylvania Buyer

Workhorse Markets.
Disciplined Lending.

No documents required to start. PHFA eligibility and Pennsylvania-specific programs verified on the first call.

Get My Pennsylvania Pre-Approval Call (561) 486-HERO