Ada County, Idaho

Financing a Home in Ada County

I finance homes across the Treasure Valley, and most of my Idaho work runs through Ada County, in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, and Star. This page lays out what it costs to finance a home here: where the 2026 loan limits sit against Ada prices, which Idaho Housing and City of Boise programs apply, how property taxes and the homeowner's exemption work, and the acreage, irrigation, and new construction details that shape a loan.

$832,750Conforming limit, 1 unit

$586,500FHA limit, 1 unit

$568,996Median sale price

Up to $125,000Homeowner's exemption

NMLS #111736 · Originating since 1996

Call (503) 932-5511 Visit My CrossCountry Pagetraci@traciputnam.com

The County Lending Profile

Ada County Loan Limits and Thresholds

Conforming limit, 1 unit$832,750Source: FHFA

FHA limit, 1 unit$586,500Source: HUD, Boise metro

Median sale price$568,996Source: Redfin

Idaho Housing price limit$613,662Source: IHFA, tax-exempt First Loan

At a typical Ada County price of about $569,000, a buyer is roughly $264,000 below the conforming limit but only about $17,500 inside the FHA limit, so FHA buyers shopping above the median reach the ceiling quickly and may need a conventional loan or a larger down payment, and jumbo financing starts above $832,750.

Limit (2026)	1 unit	2 units	3 units	4 units	Source
Conforming	$832,750	$1,066,250	$1,288,800	$1,601,750	FHFA
FHA	$586,500	$750,800	$907,550	$1,127,900	HUD
FHA reverse mortgage (HECM)	$1,249,125 maximum claim amount				HUD

Idaho Housing's tax-exempt First Loan in Ada County, a non-targeted county, carries a $613,662 sales price limit and requires first-time buyer status. VA loans carry no county limit for veterans with full entitlement. USDA eligibility is set by address, so check each home on USDA's eligibility map. Median owner-occupied home value: $512,300 (ACS 2020-2024 5-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

Reading Ada County's Limits Against Its Prices

Ada County's FHA limit of $586,500 sits above the national floor, but Ada prices sit close to it. The typical sale in August 2026 was about $569,000, only $17,500 under the limit. For a first-time buyer, that means FHA covers the median home but not much above it, and a buyer looking in Meridian or Eagle above the median should compare conventional financing from the start rather than discovering the ceiling after an offer.

Idaho Housing and Finance Association programs fill much of the down payment gap here. Its down payment assistance can reach 8% of the price, about $45,500 on a median Ada home, for households earning up to $170,000, and it is not limited to first-time buyers. Its tax-exempt First Loan, which does require first-time buyer status in Ada, caps the price at $613,662. Inside Boise city limits, the city's Homeownership Opportunity Program adds up to $45,000 for buyers between 50% and 80% of area median income.

Ada is also where my most complex Idaho files close. In 2025 I financed a $3.1 million, 10-acre purchase in Meridian, and my highest funded loan to date, $2,635,000, was a split-lien non-QM loan in Meridian in 2026. Acreage here brings well and septic surveys, irrigation district assessments that legally come ahead of the mortgage, and appraisals with few comparable sales in a state where sale prices are not disclosed to the assessor.

New construction is a large share of what sells in Ada, with more than 5,200 homes permitted in 2025. Builders often steer buyers to a preferred lender with incentives attached. I compare those incentives line by line against a loan structured around the buyer, and I also finance construction directly, including spec financing for a builder finishing homes in the TerraView subdivision on the edge of Eagle.

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

Your Ada County Lender

Traci Putnam, Treasure Valley Lender

I began originating mortgage loans at GMAC Mortgage in Albany, Oregon in 1996 and have closed more than 3,500 loans since. I am an Originating Branch Manager with CrossCountry Mortgage, licensed in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Texas, and I have built a dedicated practice across the Treasure Valley, with most of my Idaho work in Boise and Meridian and Canyon County right next door.

My Ada County files tend to be the ones that need structure: high-balance and jumbo purchases, 10-acre parcels in Meridian, non-QM loans with investor exceptions, self-employed borrowers, and new construction. I know what the program guides say and also what investors will and will not approve at the exception level, which is where complex files are often won or lost.

Many of my Idaho clients are relocating from Oregon, Washington, and California. I help them understand how their equity and purchasing power translate in the Treasure Valley, coordinate buy-before-you-sell timing across state lines, and keep the file moving whether they are local or 500 miles away.

“Every challenging file teaches me something that makes me more effective for the next borrower who walks through the door.”Traci Putnam, Originating Branch Manager

County Lending Deep-Dive

Sixty Facts About Financing a Home in Ada County

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

Loan Limits and Thresholds

Ada County's 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit is $832,750, the national baseline. Any one-unit loan above that is a jumbo loan (FHFA, 2026 county loan limit list).
Two- to four-unit conforming limits in Ada County for 2026 are $1,066,250, $1,288,800, and $1,601,750 (FHFA, 2026).
The conforming limit rose from $766,550 in 2024 to $832,750 in 2026, an increase of $66,200, or 8.6% (FHFA announcements for 2024 and 2026).
Ada County's 2026 one-unit FHA limit is $586,500, which is $45,213 above the national floor of $541,287 (HUD FHA Mortgage Limits, 2026).
FHA limits for two- to four-unit properties in Ada County are $750,800, $907,550, and $1,127,900 for 2026 (HUD, 2026).
HUD's median sale price for the Boise metro area, used in setting FHA limits, is $491,000 (HUD FHA Mortgage Limits, 2026).
Ada's August 2026 median sale price of $568,996 sits only about $17,500 under the FHA limit, so FHA covers the median home with little room above it (Redfin, August 2026; HUD, 2026).
The gap between Ada's FHA limit and its conforming limit is $246,250, the range where a buyer moves from FHA to conventional financing (derived from FHFA and HUD, 2026).
Veterans with full VA entitlement have had no county loan limit since January 1, 2020, while the county limit still matters for veterans with partial entitlement (Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019).
The 2026 maximum claim amount for an FHA reverse mortgage (HECM) is $1,249,125 nationwide, up from $1,209,750 in 2025 (HUD, 2026).

Programs Live in Ada County

HUD's fiscal 2026 median family income for the Boise metro area, which includes Ada County, is $110,700, and the 80% income limit for a four-person household is $88,550 (HUD FY2026 income limits via Idaho Commerce).
Idaho Housing and Finance Association down payment assistance covers up to 8% of the sales price as a second mortgage repaid monthly, for household incomes up to $170,000, and it is not limited to first-time buyers (IHFA).
On Ada's August 2026 median sale price, 8% Idaho Housing assistance would equal about $45,520 toward down payment and closing costs (derived from IHFA and Redfin).
Idaho Housing assistance requires the buyer to contribute at least $500 of their own funds and to complete Finally Home! homebuyer education (IHFA).
Idaho Housing's tax-exempt First Loan in Ada County carries a $613,662 sales price limit and income limits of $110,700 for one or two people and $127,305 for three or more, effective May 6, 2026 (IHFA income and sales price limits).
Ada is a non-targeted county, so Idaho Housing's tax-exempt First Loan requires first-time buyer status here, defined as not having owned and occupied a primary residence in the last three years (IHFA Program Bulletin 2026-4; IHFA FAQ).
Idaho Housing does not finance duplexes, allows accessory dwelling units without a separate address, and allows manufactured homes under agency guidelines (IHFA FAQ).
The City of Boise Homeownership Opportunity Program helps households at 50% to 80% of area median income buy inside Boise city limits, with up to $45,000 in deferred assistance, or $65,000 on land trust homes (City of Boise).
Boise's program assistance is repaid at sale or transfer as the original amount times the home's appreciation percentage, capped at net proceeds, and referrals come through NeighborWorks Boise or LEAP Housing (City of Boise program policy, revised February 2025).
Meridian's 2026-27 community development block grant of $555,314 funds home repair programs, not down payment help, so Meridian buyers draw on Idaho Housing programs for purchase assistance (City of Meridian PY26 action plan).
Idaho veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating and a homeowner's exemption can receive up to $1,500 off property taxes on the home, applying January 1 to April 15, 2027 (Idaho State Tax Commission).

What It Costs to Close Here

Ada County's 2025 average property tax rate was 0.652% in urban areas and 0.560% in rural areas, with an overall average of 0.642%, against a statewide average of 0.552% (Idaho State Tax Commission, 2025 Average Property Tax Rates).
Idaho's homeowner's exemption takes 50% off the value of a primary home and up to one acre, to a maximum of $125,000, under House Bill 843, effective January 1, 2026 (Idaho State Tax Commission).
On a median-priced Ada home, the $125,000 exemption and the 0.652% urban average rate put the annual property tax at roughly $2,895, though actual bills depend on the tax code area (derived from Tax Commission rates and Redfin).
The city share of the 2025 property tax levy ranges from 0.3946% in Boise to 0.0446% in Eagle, which is one reason total tax bills differ by city (Idaho State Tax Commission, Certificate of County Levies, 2025).
New owners must file their own homeowner's exemption with the Ada County Assessor, and a claim filed by the last business day of the year receives the full exemption for that year (Ada County Assessor; Idaho State Tax Commission, April 2026).
Ada County property taxes are due in halves on December 20 and June 20, and bills are mailed by the fourth Monday in November (Ada County Treasurer).
A closing between late November and December 20 usually means the first-half Ada tax bill is due at or right after closing, which affects escrow and cash to close (derived from Ada County Treasurer due dates).
Recording a deed in Ada County costs $15 and recording a deed of trust costs $45, each covering up to 30 pages, plus $3 for each page after that (Ada County Clerk/Recorder).
Idaho has no real estate transfer tax and no mortgage tax (Stewart Title, Idaho real estate practices).
Under Idaho's standard purchase contract, the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy, and buyer and seller each pay their own escrow and recording fees (Stewart Title, Idaho real estate practices).
A newly built Idaho home owes occupancy tax for the part of the year it was occupied before being fully assessed, and the owner must report occupancy to the assessor (Idaho Code 63-317).

Property Types and Local Conditions

Builders pulled permits for 5,221 new homes in Ada County in 2025, up 1.6% from 2024 and 30% below the 2021 peak of 7,487 (U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey via FRED).
Ada added about 9.6 newly permitted homes for every 1,000 residents in 2025 (derived from Census permits and population estimates).
The median listed home in Ada County was 2,311 square feet in July 2026, about the same as a year earlier (listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED).
Ada County had 228,926 housing units as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates).
The Boise River's flood stage is 7,000 cubic feet per second, a level reached or exceeded ten times since 1982, and federally regulated lenders require flood insurance for homes in high-risk flood areas (Ada County Emergency Management).
Central District Health charges $178 for the mortgage survey lenders request to locate a well or septic system before a sale, plus $20 when a well is included (Central District Health, fees as of July 2026).
A domestic well in Idaho needs no water right permit if total use is 13,000 gallons a day or less and irrigation covers half an acre or less (Idaho Code 42-111; Idaho Department of Water Resources).
Irrigation district assessments in Idaho are a first lien on the property, ahead of mortgages and deeds of trust whether recorded earlier or later, so title should confirm they are current (Idaho Code 43-706).
Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District assessments are due in halves on December 20 and June 20, and new owners must send the district a copy of the recorded deed to change the owner name (Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District).
By February 1, 2027, Idaho cities over 10,000 residents, which includes Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, Star, and Garden City, must allow one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot without an owner-occupancy requirement (Idaho Code 67-6541).

Who Buys Here and How

Ada County had 546,141 residents on July 1, 2025, up 10,916, or 2.0%, in one year and up 33,049 since 2021 (U.S. Census Bureau population estimates via FRED).
Boise had an estimated 256,450 residents in April 2026, Meridian 152,070, Eagle 40,200 in its Ada portion, and Kuna 38,560 (COMPASS, 2026 population estimates).
Kuna and Star each grew about 14% in one year, and Star's Ada portion, at 24,950 residents, is up 131% since 2020 (COMPASS, April 2026).
Ada County's median household income was $91,898 in 2024, up 25.3% from 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau, SAIPE via FRED).
About 70.8% of Ada County homes are owner-occupied, and the median value of an owner-occupied home was $512,300 in the 2020-2024 survey (ACS 2020-2024 5-year).
Ada County is home to about 31,500 veterans, which keeps VA financing in steady use (ACS 2020-2024 5-year).
Ada's largest employers include St. Luke's Regional Medical Center, Boise State University, Micron Technology, the West Ada school district, and Saint Alphonsus, so hospital, university, and semiconductor income is common in underwriting (Idaho Department of Labor, 2025).
Manufacturing jobs in Ada County paid an average of $147,436 in 2025 across 18,426 jobs, against $83,591 in construction and $98,660 in financial activities (Idaho Department of Labor, 2025).
About 94,000 people work in Ada County but live elsewhere, and Nampa residents hold 8.6% of Ada jobs, so many Ada workers buy in neighboring Canyon County (Idaho Department of Labor, 2023 commuting data).

Market Context for Financing

The median sale price in Ada County was $568,996 in August 2026, up 4.4% from a year earlier, with 1,091 homes sold, up 21.4% (Redfin, August 2026).
Ada homes sold for a median of $294 per square foot in August 2026, up 3.2% from a year earlier (Redfin, August 2026).
The median Ada home spent 39 days on the market in August 2026, three days fewer than a year earlier (Redfin, August 2026).
Homes sold for 99.5% of list price on average in August 2026, and 20.1% sold above list, up 4.7 points from a year earlier (Redfin, August 2026).
About 25.2% of Ada homes sold in August 2026 had a price drop before sale, up 3.8 points from a year earlier (Redfin, August 2026).
Active listings in Ada County were 1,776 in September 2026, down 8.5% from a year earlier, after a low of 1,298 in January (listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED).
Pending sales in Ada County were up 9.2% from a year earlier in September 2026 (listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED).
Ada's median listing price ran about 55% above the U.S. median in August 2026 (listing data via the St. Louis Fed FRED).
Ada's August 2026 median sale price is about 6.2 times the county's 2024 median household income (derived from Redfin and Census SAIPE).

Programs and Situations

Ada County Files That Need More Than a Rate Quote

Jumbo, High-Balance, and Non-QM

Purchases above $832,750 in Eagle, Meridian, and the Boise foothills, including split-lien and non-QM structures that need investor exceptions. My highest funded loan, $2,635,000, closed in Meridian.

Acreage and Rural Properties

Ten-acre parcels and rural homes with wells, septic, and irrigation district water. Mortgage surveys, irrigation liens, and thin comparable sales handled before underwriting raises them.

New Construction and Builder Incentives

One-time-close and construction financing, spec financing for builders, and a line-by-line comparison of builder-preferred lender incentives against a loan built around you.

First-Time Buyers and Down Payment Assistance

Idaho Housing assistance up to 8% of the price, the tax-exempt First Loan, and the City of Boise program for buyers inside city limits, matched to your income before you write an offer.

Self-Employed and Bank Statement Loans

Business owners, contractors, and consultants whose tax returns understate what they earn, with bank statement and asset-based options when a W-2 path does not fit.

Relocation and Buy Before You Sell

Buyers moving from Oregon, Washington, and California, with bridge and timing strategies so the Idaho purchase does not wait on the sale back home.

What Borrowers Say

Client Reviews From Google

★★★★★

“Sometimes life puts just the right people in your path. Her encouragement and unmatched knowledge of the process is impressive.”

Marlene Amaral

via Google

★★★★★

“We bought a house that was 580 miles from our residence at the time. We were worried about how this would work being so far away. Traci was wonderful! She communicated with us constantly. She was available at all hours. She answered all of my questions immediately.”

Michelle Hicks

via Google

★★★★★

“Traci is the calm in the storm of purchasing a home. She's friendly, professional, extremely knowledgeable and helpful.”

Sybil Amaral

via Google

Ada County Mortgage Questions

What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Ada County, Idaho?

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

What is the FHA loan limit in Ada County?

The 2026 FHA limit for a one-unit home in Ada County is $586,500, above the national floor of $541,287, and the same across the Boise metro area. Ada's typical sale price of about $569,000 sits only about $17,500 under that limit, so buyers shopping above the median should compare FHA and conventional early.

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

Usually not. The median sale price in Ada County was $568,996 in August 2026, about $264,000 below the conforming limit. Jumbo financing comes into play above $832,750, mostly in Eagle, the Boise foothills, and acreage properties in Meridian and Kuna.

Can I get down payment assistance in Ada County?

Often, yes. Idaho Housing and Finance Association assistance can cover up to 8% of the price for households earning up to $170,000, and it is not limited to first-time buyers. Its tax-exempt First Loan, which requires first-time buyer status in Ada, caps the price at $613,662. Inside Boise city limits, the City of Boise program adds up to $45,000 for buyers between 50% and 80% of area median income.

How do property taxes and the homeowner's exemption work in Ada County?

Ada's 2025 average rate was 0.652% in urban areas and 0.560% in rural areas. Idaho's homeowner's exemption removes 50% of a primary home's value, up to $125,000, and new owners must file their own claim with the Ada County Assessor. Taxes are due in halves on December 20 and June 20, so a December closing often means the first-half bill is due right away.

Can I finance acreage with a well, septic, or irrigation water in Ada County?

Yes. Lenders usually order a Central District Health mortgage survey to locate the well or septic system, and irrigation district assessments are a first lien ahead of the mortgage, so title confirms they are current. Large parcels can have few comparable sales, and Idaho does not require sale prices to be disclosed, so I match the appraiser and the loan program to the property before you are under contract.

Should I use the builder's preferred lender in Meridian or Kuna?

Compare before you decide. Builder incentives can be real money, but they are often tied to the builder's lender and pricing. I lay the builder's offer next to a loan structured around your goals, line by line, so you can see which one actually costs less over the time you plan to own the home.

How can I verify Traci Putnam's mortgage license?

NMLS Consumer Access, the public licensing registry, lists me under NMLS #111736. The record shows my Idaho license along with Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Texas, and my employer, CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #3029.