Conventional Loans in Dallas, TX: 2026 Limits, Property Tax Math and Lender Comparison

By iQRATE Mortgages · Mortgage broker: David Ghazaryan, NMLS 1486726 · Company NMLS 1862492 · Updated November 10, 2026

Quick answer

A conventional loan in Dallas is a mortgage with no government insurance or guarantee behind it. Most follow Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac rules. For 2026, the conforming limit in Dallas County is $832,750 for a one-unit home, the same as in Collin and Denton counties (FHFA, 2026 conforming loan limits). Above that, you need a jumbo loan. The Dallas line to watch is property tax. Using the Dallas County Tax Office's posted 2026 rates, a home in the City of Dallas and Dallas ISD carries about $2.25 per $100 of value before exemptions, and that tax counts against your income when a lender sizes the loan. iQRATE Mortgages (NMLS 1862492) is a mortgage broker licensed in Texas. We compare wholesale lenders on your file, more than 100 on complex deals, instead of offering one bank's menu.

Apply now · or call or text (702) 766-3744 · Contact us to set a time to talk

5.0 stars from 77 reviews on Google (October 2026) · See our Google reviews · Yelp 5.0 from 51 reviews · Zillow 5.00 from 9 reviews

Dallas conventional loans at a glance

Figures are program and public-record facts, not a quote. Lenders can add their own rules on top.

What is a conventional loan, and who is it for in Dallas?

A conventional loan is a mortgage that a private lender makes without FHA insurance, a VA guarantee or a USDA guarantee. Most are conforming loans. That means they follow the guidelines of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and stay within the county loan limit that the Federal Housing Finance Agency sets each year. Each lender then adds its own rules, called overlays. That is why the same Dallas file can get a yes from one lender and a no from another.

A conventional loan is worth pricing first when one of these fits you:

• Your credit and income are steady. Conventional pricing and mortgage insurance both respond to credit score and how much you finance. Strong files usually see the benefit here.
• You want mortgage insurance that can end. Private mortgage insurance on a conventional loan can be cancelled under federal rules once you build enough equity. FHA's premium works differently.
• The loan is above Dallas County's FHA limit. FHA stops at $563,500 for one unit. Conventional goes to $832,750.
• You are buying a second home or a rental. FHA and VA loans are for homes you live in. Conventional loans can also finance second homes and investment property.
• You are relocating to North Texas for work. Many Dallas buyers arrive with a new job and a home still unsold somewhere else. Lenders count both payments unless the old home is under contract or rented with a lease. We map that out before you write an offer.

If FHA or VA wins on your numbers, we will tell you. Our FHA loan guide and VA loan guide cover those programs in depth, and our Dallas mortgage broker page covers every loan type we arrange in the city.

What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Dallas County?

For 2026, the one-unit conforming limit is $832,750 in Dallas County. FHFA raised the national baseline by $26,250 from 2025, because its house price index rose 3.26% between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025 (FHFA news release, November 25, 2025). Dallas County is not a high-cost county, so it sits at the baseline, not at the $1,249,125 high-cost ceiling.

The City of Dallas spreads across parts of Dallas, Collin and Denton counties. All three share the same 2026 limits in FHFA's county loan limit list:

Sources: FHFA 2026 county loan limit list (Dallas, Collin and Denton counties); HUD FHA forward mortgage limits file for Dallas County, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro (HUD).

The gap matters. A buyer who needs a loan of $650,000 on a one-unit home is over the FHA limit in Dallas County but well under the conforming limit. For that buyer, conventional is usually the main low-down-payment route. It is not the only one, and we still check VA eligibility and other options.

How much can you finance on a conventional loan in Dallas?

Fannie Mae publishes the most it will buy on each kind of loan in its eligibility matrix. This is the version dated August 5, 2026, for loans run through Desktop Underwriter (Fannie Mae eligibility matrix):

Two conditions sit behind the top line. Loans above 95% loan-to-value are not allowed on high-balance loans. And for a regular purchase above 95% without a Community Seconds, at least one borrower must be a first-time homebuyer. HomeReady has its own rules, covered below.

Texas adds one more limit if you later want cash out of a homestead. A home equity loan on a Texas homestead, plus every other loan on it, can't go above 80% of fair market value under Section 50(a)(6) of the Texas Constitution. Fannie Mae's own cap on a one-unit primary cash-out refinance is also 80%.

How do Dallas property taxes change a conventional approval?

Texas has no state income tax, so local property tax carries much of the load. On a conventional loan, the monthly share of your tax bill is part of your housing payment. That payment goes into your debt-to-income ratio. For Fannie Mae loans run through Desktop Underwriter, the maximum is 50%. For manually underwritten loans, it is 36%, and it can go up to 45% if you meet the credit score and reserve rules (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-02). So the tax rate on the exact address can change how much you can borrow.

Here is how the Dallas County Tax Office's posted 2026 rates add up for a home in the City of Dallas and Dallas ISD, per $100 of value, before any exemptions (Dallas County Tax Office):

At that combined rate, the yearly tax before exemptions works out like this. These are simple multiplications, not a tax bill:

• A $320,700 home, the city's median owner-occupied value in Census data for 2020 to 2024 (Census QuickFacts): about $7,218 a year.
• A $400,000 home: about $9,003 a year.
• A $500,000 home: about $11,254 a year.
• An $800,000 home: about $18,006 a year.

Not every Dallas address is in Dallas ISD. Swap in the school district from the same Dallas County table and the combined rate changes. With Richardson ISD (1.131900) it is about $2.40 per $100. With Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD (0.948100) it is about $2.21. Some neighborhoods also sit in a public improvement district (PID), which adds its own line to the bill.

The Texas Comptroller points homeowners to their local appraisal district and tax office for appraisal and exemption questions (Texas Comptroller, property tax). For Dallas County addresses, that is the Dallas Central Appraisal District.

“Don't rely on the seller's current property-tax bill or a builder's advertised monthly-payment estimate. In North Texas, the property may have exemptions that won't apply to you, an additional MUD tax, a PID assessment, or a new-construction tax history that doesn't reflect the completed home. Those expenses affect the actual monthly payment and potentially your mortgage qualification. I want to calculate the financing on the exact property before you commit, not discover the real housing expense after your offer is accepted.”

— David Ghazaryan, NMLS 1486726

Property tax also drives your cash to close. Lenders usually collect a few months of taxes into escrow at closing. Your Loan Estimate lists that escrow deposit line by line, and we walk through it with you. See our closing costs by state page for how Texas compares.

Can you get rid of PMI on a Dallas conventional loan?

Yes, and this is one of the biggest differences from FHA. When you finance more than 80% of the home's value, a conventional lender usually requires private mortgage insurance (PMI). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the federal rules for single-family principal residences that closed on or after July 29, 1999 (CFPB, when can I remove PMI):

• At 80%, you can ask. You can ask your servicer in writing to cancel PMI on the date your balance is scheduled to fall to 80% of the home's original value. You need a good payment history, no junior liens, and evidence that the value has not dropped below the original value.
• At 78%, it ends on its own. Your servicer must generally end PMI on the date the balance is scheduled to reach 78% of original value, as long as you are current.
• At the midpoint, it ends too. PMI must end the month after you reach the midpoint of the loan's amortization schedule, for example after 15 years on a 30-year loan.
• Earlier is possible. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can set their own cancellation guidelines, but they can't be less favorable than the federal rules.

"Original value" generally means the lower of the contract price or the appraised value when you bought. Extra principal payments can move the date up.

Is FHA or conventional the better fit in Dallas?

There is no single answer, and we won't give you a rule of thumb. Here is how the two programs differ on the points set by program and county. Pricing, credit rules and documents vary by lender and by borrower.

We price both side by side when you could qualify for either. If you expect to sell in a few years, our article on which loan eases a future Dallas sale walks through that angle. If you are pairing a loan with assistance, read FHA vs. conventional with Dallas down payment assistance and which Dallas DPA loan can trap you.

Can you combine a conventional loan with Dallas down payment help?

Often, yes. The City of Dallas Homebuyer Assistance Program (DHAP) helps income-qualified buyers purchase inside city limits. Since May 1, 2026, Business and Community Lenders of Texas (BCL of Texas) manages the program; the City no longer administers it directly (City of Dallas, DHAP; BCL of Texas). The key rules on the City's page and in the 2025-2026 program manual (DHAP manual):

• Amount: based on need, up to $50,000, or up to $60,000 in high-opportunity areas. High-opportunity areas are census tracts in the city with poverty rates of 20% or below.
• Income: household income at or below 80% of area median income for your household size.
• Price: the maximum sales price is $342,000 for existing homes and for new construction, for contracts on or after September 1, 2024.
• Payment test: the housing payment may not exceed 35% of the buyer's monthly gross income.
• First mortgage: the manual lists conventional, FHA, portfolio or VA loans from an approved lender, with an escrow account for taxes and insurance. Adjustable-rate loans, interest-only loans, borrower-paid discount points and cash back at closing are not allowed.
• Timing: you need an executed sales contract and mortgage lender approval before DHAP funds.

Put the price cap next to the market. The median value of owner-occupied homes in the City of Dallas was $320,700 for 2020 to 2024 in Census data. So DHAP's $342,000 cap reaches the middle of the city's owner-occupied housing stock, but not much above it. Funding is first-come, first-served, so check availability with BCL of Texas before you count on it.

Statewide, the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation's Homes for Texas Heroes program offers help of up to 5% of the loan amount, as a grant or a forgivable second lien, for eligible teachers, first responders, corrections officers and veterans (TSAHC). TSAHC programs come with their own first mortgage and approved lenders, so we compare that package against a broker-priced conventional loan.

What is HomeReady, and who in Dallas can use it?

HomeReady is Fannie Mae's conventional program for low-income borrowers. It allows up to 97% financing on eligible loans, with no minimum personal contribution required, and the funds can come from gifts, grants or Community Seconds (Fannie Mae HomeReady). Fannie Mae can also consider on-time rent payments, and it advertises a $2,500 credit for very low-income first-time buyers, subject to its terms.

Income limits come from area median income for the property's location, which Fannie Mae publishes through its AMI lookup tool. If every occupying borrower is a first-time homebuyer, at least one must complete homeownership education. A HomeReady loan can pair with DHAP if the file meets both programs' rules.

Can you buy a Dallas second home or rental with a conventional loan?

Yes. This is something FHA and VA can't do. Fannie Mae's matrix allows up to 90% financing on a one-unit second home and up to 85% on a one-unit investment purchase, or 75% on two to four units. A conventional investment loan qualifies you on your income and debt-to-income ratio, using your tax returns.

If your tax returns show lower income because of write-offs, or you want the property's rent to qualify the loan, a DSCR loan is the alternative. Our Dallas DSCR loans page covers those. Investor loans are for business purposes only.

Self-employed in Dallas? When conventional documents don't fit

Conventional loans usually qualify you on tax returns. If you own a business, deductions can shrink the income a lender sees. That doesn't mean you can't buy. A bank statement loan uses 12 or 24 months of deposits instead of tax returns. It is a non-QM loan, so it follows the lender's rules, not Fannie Mae's. We price conventional first, then show you the non-QM option only if your returns don't support the loan you need.

Above $832,750: when does a Dallas loan become jumbo?

Any one-unit loan above $832,750 in Dallas County is a jumbo loan in 2026. The price where you cross the line depends on how much you finance. This is simple math, the limit divided by the share you finance:

Above those prices, compare a jumbo loan with a larger down payment that keeps you conforming. Our jumbo loan guide covers Dallas jumbo rules, and the Park Cities and Preston Hollow sections of our Dallas mortgage broker page cover where jumbo loans are most common in the city.

What real conventional loans has iQRATE closed in Texas?

These are real iQRATE loan files from our own records. We round the numbers and leave out names and addresses. We have not yet closed a conventional loan in Dallas, Collin or Denton County that we can verify, so we don't claim one. David put it this way when we asked: "I would rather confirm that information than publish an inaccurate closing claim."

• Houston (Harris County), 2024, conventional purchase. A buyer bought a primary home for about $400,000 and financed 95% of the price. It was a conventional loan, not FHA. The home appraised about $6,000 over the price. We closed in 26 days, four days ahead of the target date.
• Sugar Land (Fort Bend County), 2025, conventional purchase. A buyer bought a primary home for about $430,000, also financing 95%. The appraisal came in slightly over the price. The buyer closed in 24 days, four days early.
• Tyler (Smith County), 2024, conventional purchase. A buyer financed 80% of a home of about $250,000, so the loan needed no private mortgage insurance. The home appraised about $15,000 over the price. We closed in 21 days, a week ahead of target.

What these files have in common with a Dallas purchase is the Texas process: Texas title insurance, a Texas escrow and a property tax escrow set at closing. More Texas files are on our Texas mortgage broker page. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

How does iQRATE work a Dallas conventional file?

1. Start with the address, or the target area. We pull the taxing units for the address, or for the ISDs you are shopping in, so the tax in your payment is real.
2. Price the loan across lenders. As a broker we compare wholesale lenders, more than 100 on complex files. Overlays differ, so we match your file to lenders whose rules fit it.
3. Put the options side by side. Conventional, plus FHA, VA, HomeReady or assistance when you qualify. You compare Loan Estimates, not sales pitches.
4. Write a strong approval. We document income and assets up front, so your approval letter holds up in a competitive offer.
5. Close on time. We work with local title and escrow. Our goal for eligible conventional purchases is 17 calendar days from initial disclosures.

We work Dallas files from our Las Vegas office under our Texas license. You can sign and upload documents online, and we close with Dallas-area title companies.

Conventional loan limit checker for Dallas County

Here is simple math for a worked example, a $400,000 purchase with 95% financed: it shows the loan amount and whether it is above the 2026 Dallas County conforming limit of $832,750 or the FHA limit of $563,500, plus the property tax at the combined City of Dallas and Dallas ISD rate. It does not use interest rates, quote a payment or approve a loan.

What does iQRATE put in writing?

These are our standing written guarantees. Each one has its own page with the full terms; see all iQRATE guarantees.

• Rate Match: lock with us, and within 3 calendar days show a competitor's locked Loan Estimate for identical terms. We match it or pay you $1,000 after you close with them.
• Bare Bones Closing Costs: no processing, admin, doc-prep, lock or broker fees of our own; third-party fees at cost.
• 17-Day Closing Commitment: our goal for eligible conventional, FHA and VA purchases is 17 calendar days from initial disclosures. Most of our loans close in under 30 days.
• $5,000 Seller Guarantee and All Costs Covered: if a purchase backed by our verified approval fails only because of our error, we pay the seller $5,000. We also pay you back up to $1,000 of costs, plus lost earnest money up to $5,000.
• 12-Month Rate Drop and Lifetime Rate Monitoring: if rates fall at least 0.50% within a year, we cover typical lender fees on the refinance through premium pricing (when lenders offer it). And we watch rates for you for life.

What do clients say about iQRATE?

Real 5-star reviews, quoted word for word, with the reviewer's first name and last initial. They describe working with David Ghazaryan and the iQRATE team overall, not a promise about your loan.

“Thank you so much David and team! You made the mortgage process so easy and were very patient with me. The process was smooth and the level of communication and professionalism was extraordinary. I will definitely recommend to family and friends for their mortgage needs as well”

— Sophie G. (Las Vegas, NV), 5-star review on Yelp

“David handled the purchase of my investment duplex in Olympia - Washington State. He came recommended by my realtor, and was very attentive, closed on time, and communicated clearly.”

— Nnamdi C. (Lacey, WA), 5-star review on Zillow

Our ratings: Google 5.0 from 77 reviews. Yelp 5.0 from 51 reviews. Zillow 5.00 from 9 reviews. Read our Google reviews.

Which questions should you ask any Dallas conventional lender?

• Will you qualify me on the tax rate for this exact address, with my school district, or on the seller's bill?
• Does the address sit in a PID or MUD, and did you include it?
• Do I qualify for HomeReady, and how does it compare with a standard conventional loan?
• If I use DHAP or TSAHC help, which first mortgage options can I pair with it?
• When can I ask to cancel PMI, and what will the servicer need from me?
• How many lenders can you send my file to if the first one says no?
• Are you and your company licensed in Texas on NMLS Consumer Access?

Where do these Dallas figures come from?

• Conforming limits:FHFA news release on 2026 conforming loan limits and the FHFA 2026 county list (Dallas, Collin and Denton counties).
• FHA limits:HUD FHA forward mortgage limits file, Dallas County.
• Financing limits:Fannie Mae eligibility matrix, August 5, 2026.
• Debt-to-income:Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-02.
• HomeReady:Fannie Mae HomeReady page.
• PMI rules:Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
• FHA premiums:HUD Mortgagee Letter 2023-05.
• Property tax rates:Dallas County Tax Office, 2026 tax rates; Texas Comptroller.
• Home values:U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Dallas city, Texas.
• Assistance:City of Dallas DHAP, DHAP 2025-2026 manual, TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes.
• Homestead cash-out:Texas Constitution, Article 16.

Dallas conventional loan FAQs

What is the 2026 conventional loan limit in Dallas?

For a one-unit home in Dallas County, the 2026 conforming loan limit is $832,750. It is $1,066,250 for two units, $1,288,800 for three units and $1,601,750 for four units. Collin and Denton counties, which also hold parts of the City of Dallas, have the same limits. A loan above the limit is a jumbo loan.

Is a conventional loan the same as a conforming loan?

Not exactly. A conventional loan is any mortgage without a government guarantee or insurance behind it. A conforming loan is a conventional loan that also fits Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac rules and the county loan limit. Most Dallas conventional loans under $832,750 are conforming loans.

How much can I finance on a Dallas conventional loan?

On Fannie Mae's August 5, 2026 eligibility matrix, a fixed-rate loan on a one-unit primary home can go up to 97% loan-to-value. Above 95%, at least one borrower must be a first-time homebuyer unless the loan is HomeReady or uses a Community Seconds. Second homes top out at 90% and one-unit investment purchases at 85%. Your lender's own rules can be stricter.

How do Dallas property taxes affect a conventional approval?

Property tax is part of the housing payment, and the housing payment counts in your debt-to-income ratio. Using the Dallas County Tax Office's posted 2026 rates, a home in the City of Dallas and Dallas ISD carries about $2.25 per $100 of value before exemptions. On a $400,000 home that is about $9,000 a year. We qualify you on the tax for the exact address.

What is the maximum debt-to-income ratio for a conventional loan?

For Fannie Mae loans run through Desktop Underwriter, the maximum is 50%. For manually underwritten loans it is 36%, and it can go up to 45% if you meet the credit score and reserve rules in Fannie Mae's eligibility matrix. Lenders can set tighter limits.

When can I drop PMI on a conventional loan?

Under the federal rules the CFPB describes, you can ask your servicer to cancel PMI when your balance is scheduled to reach 80% of the home's original value, if you meet the conditions. PMI generally ends automatically when the balance is scheduled to reach 78%, as long as you are current. FHA mortgage insurance follows different HUD rules.

Can I use Dallas down payment assistance with a conventional loan?

Often, yes. The Dallas Homebuyer Assistance Program manual lists conventional, FHA, portfolio and VA first mortgages as eligible. DHAP offers up to $50,000, or up to $60,000 in high-opportunity areas, for buyers at or below 80% of area median income, with a $342,000 maximum price. BCL of Texas has run the program since May 1, 2026.

Is FHA or conventional better in Dallas?

It depends on your credit, income, cash and plans. FHA's 2026 one-unit limit in Dallas County is $563,500, lower than the $832,750 conventional limit. Conventional PMI can be cancelled under federal rules, while FHA's annual premium can last 11 years or the life of the loan. We price both on your file and show you the difference.

Can I buy a Dallas rental with a conventional loan?

Yes. Conventional loans can finance investment property. Fannie Mae's matrix caps a one-unit investment purchase at 85% loan-to-value and two to four units at 75%. If you would rather qualify on the property's rent than on your tax returns, a DSCR loan is a separate option for business-purpose rentals.

Has iQRATE closed conventional loans in Dallas County?

Not yet that we can verify, and we won't claim one. Our verified Texas conventional closings so far are in Houston, Sugar Land and Tyler. They closed in 21 to 26 days. We are licensed in Texas under NMLS 1862492 and work Dallas files with local title and escrow.

What price makes a Dallas loan a jumbo?

It depends on how much you finance. The loan stays at or under $832,750 up to about $876,579 with 95% financing, $925,278 with 90% financing and $1,040,938 with 80% financing. Above those prices, a one-unit loan in Dallas County becomes a jumbo loan.

How fast can a Dallas conventional loan close?

Our goal for eligible conventional purchases is 17 calendar days from initial disclosures, and most of our loans close in under 30 days. Our Houston, Sugar Land and Tyler conventional purchases closed in 26, 24 and 21 days. Appraisal, title and your document turnaround all affect timing.

Ready to price a Dallas conventional loan?

Call or text David Ghazaryan (NMLS 1486726) at (702) 766-3744. Tell him the price range, the neighborhoods or school districts you are looking at, and how you earn your income. When you are ready, apply now or contact us to set a time to talk. More: Texas mortgage broker · Dallas mortgage broker · FHA loans · Jumbo loans · When to lock your rate in Dallas

About this page. iQRATE Mortgages LLC · NMLS 1862492 · 6360 S Rainbow Blvd Ste 101, Las Vegas, NV 89118 · Licensed in Nevada, California, Texas and Florida. David Ghazaryan, Mortgage Broker, NMLS 1486726. Verify us on NMLS Consumer Access (nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Equal Housing Opportunity.

This page is general information, not an offer to lend and not a commitment to lend. We do not quote rates or payments on this page. Programs, limits and lender rules change, and every loan needs credit, income, asset, property and underwriting approval. Not all borrowers qualify. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Tax figures are estimates from public rate tables; your bill depends on the appraised value, the taxing units for the exact address and any exemptions. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.