Mortgage Broker
in Delaware
Channel Marker Mortgage is licensed across Delaware. We close loans for first-time buyers in Wilmington and Newark, families in the fast-growing Middletown corridor, retirees drawn by Delaware's low taxes, and second-home buyers at Rehoboth, Lewes, and Bethany Beach. New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties — if you're buying in Delaware, we close there.
Why Channel Marker for a Delaware mortgage
We're a multi-state mortgage broker that already works the Mid-Atlantic corridor daily, with the lender network and local know-how Delaware buyers need.
Wholesale rates
As a broker, we shop your loan across 100+ wholesale lenders. The same loan that costs you 7.0% at a retail bank often costs 6.5% through us — because retail banks layer their own margin on top of the wholesale rate.
Beaches, retirees & second homes
Sussex County beach homes, 55+ communities, and Delaware's tax-friendly draw for retirees each call for a different loan structure. We know how to finance beach and second homes and how to qualify buyers on assets and fixed income, not just a paycheck.
Real loan officers
Book a call, talk to a licensed loan officer. The same person who pre-approves you walks the deal to closing — no transfers to a corporate processor in another state.
The Delaware mortgage market in 2026
Delaware is small but split three ways. New Castle County up north is a Wilmington-Philadelphia commuter market; Kent County around Dover is affordable and steady; and Sussex County — the beaches — is one of the hottest second-home and retiree markets on the East Coast. Add no state sales tax and low property taxes, and Delaware draws a lot of out-of-state buyers whose files need a lender who understands relocation and second homes.
Top areas we cover: Wilmington, Newark, Bear, Middletown, New Castle, Dover, Smyrna, Milford, Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Bethany Beach, Millsboro, Seaford, and Georgetown.
Delaware charges a realty transfer tax of 4% of the purchase price, customarily split so buyer and seller each pay 2% — though qualifying first-time buyers receive a reduction on the state portion. There's no state sales tax and property taxes are low, which is a big part of Delaware's appeal to retirees and second-home buyers. We put your full cash-to-close in writing before you commit.
Loan programs available in Delaware
We're licensed for and regularly close every major loan product in the First State.
- Conventional loansThe 2026 conforming loan limit is $832,750 in all three Delaware counties. Anything above that is a jumbo loan.
- FHA loansLow down payment (3.5%) and flexible credit — a common route for first-time buyers in New Castle and Kent counties.
- VA loansZero down for eligible veterans, active-duty service members, and surviving spouses. With full entitlement there's no upper loan limit — we close VA loans around Dover Air Force Base regularly.
- Renovation loansFHA 203(k) and conventional renovation loans roll the purchase and repairs into one mortgage — useful for older homes in Wilmington and Dover and in the historic beach towns.
- Bridge loansFor buyers who need to purchase before selling — helpful in Delaware's competitive beach and New Castle markets where contingent offers struggle.
- USDA loansZero-down financing for USDA-eligible areas — much of Kent and Sussex county qualifies outside the towns and beaches.
- Jumbo loansAbove the conforming cap — most relevant for Sussex County beach properties and higher-end New Castle homes.
- Second-home & DSCR loansSecond-home financing for the Delaware beaches, plus DSCR loans that qualify investors on rental income for the summer-rental market.
Special Delaware situations — where a broker beats a bank
A retail bank pre-approves you against its single underwriting box. A multi-lender broker has access to over 100 wholesale lenders, each with its own criteria. We use that to close loans a retail bank either can't or won't.
Beach & second-home buyers
Rehoboth, Lewes, Bethany, and Fenwick. We handle second-home occupancy and, for rental properties, DSCR loans that qualify on the home's income.
Retirees & 55+ communities
Asset-depletion and fixed-income qualification let retirees qualify on savings and investments — common across Sussex County's active-adult communities.
Relocation buyers
Out-of-state buyers drawn by Delaware's taxes. We handle out-of-state income, new-job offer letters, and relocation timing.
First-time buyers
We match you to the right low-down-payment loan and shop the rate across our lender network so you keep cash in your pocket.
Self-employed & 1099 buyers
Bank-statement loans qualify you on deposits instead of tax returns — built for the income profile retail banks bounce.
Dover AFB & VA buyers
We close VA loans around Dover Air Force Base and know the BAH, deployment income, and entitlement rules.
If your file doesn't fit a vanilla 30-year-fixed at 20% down, the brokerage model is built for you. We close the deals retail banks call “complicated.”
Counties we serve
Channel Marker is licensed across all of Delaware — all three counties. The markets we work daily, by county.
New Castle County
Northern Delaware and the Wilmington-Philadelphia commuter belt. Cities: Wilmington, Newark, Bear, Middletown, New Castle, Hockessin, Glasgow.
Kent County
Central Delaware around the state capital, home to Dover Air Force Base. Cities: Dover, Smyrna, Milford, Camden, Harrington.
Sussex County
Southern Delaware and the beach markets — one of the East Coast's top second-home and retiree destinations. Cities: Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Bethany Beach, Millsboro, Seaford, Georgetown, Milton.
Your Delaware mortgage team
Book directly with the Channel Marker advisor who fits your situation.
Frequently asked questions about Delaware mortgages
What's the 2026 conforming loan limit in Delaware?
$832,750 for a one-unit home in all three Delaware counties — New Castle, Kent, and Sussex — for 2026. Loan amounts above that are jumbo loans, which carry their own underwriting and rate structure.
What low-down-payment options are available in Delaware?
Several. VA and USDA loans allow zero down for eligible buyers and properties, FHA requires just 3.5%, and some conventional programs go as low as 3% down for first-time buyers. We compare them against your scenario and shop the rate across our lender network to keep your cash-to-close as low as possible.
How much is the transfer tax when buying a home in Delaware?
Delaware's realty transfer tax is 4% of the purchase price, customarily split so the buyer and seller each pay 2%. Qualifying first-time buyers receive a reduction on the state portion. It's one of the larger closing costs in Delaware, so we build it into your cash-to-close estimate up front.
Can you finance a beach or second home in Sussex County?
Yes. Second-home financing is available throughout the Delaware beaches — Rehoboth, Lewes, Bethany, and Fenwick. For buyers who plan to rent the property, DSCR loans qualify on the home's rental income rather than your personal income, which fits the summer-rental market well.
Can retirees qualify for a Delaware mortgage on fixed income?
Yes. Asset-depletion loans let retirees qualify based on savings and investment balances rather than monthly income, and Social Security and pension income count as well. This is common across Sussex County's 55+ and active-adult communities, and it's exactly the kind of file that fits a broker better than a single-box retail lender.
How long does it take to close a Delaware mortgage with Channel Marker?
About 11.5 days from clear-to-close on average — well ahead of the 30-to-45-day industry standard — because we route each file to the wholesale lender best positioned to close it fast and manage it actively from contract to funding.
Get a Delaware-specific loan estimate
Calculators get you close, but they miss Delaware's 4% transfer tax, second-home rules, and beach-market nuances. We model your exact scenario in writing and give you the number that shows up at closing.
Book a 15-minute call