Central Texas Mortgage Broker
Mortgage Broker in San Marcos, TX
San Marcos sits about 31 miles south of Austin, and it runs on two things: Texas State University and the San Marcos River. The river is spring-fed and famously clear, and floating it right through downtown is one of my favorite things to do in any of the six cities I work in. Blanco Vista and La Cima are the two master-planned communities I see the most files from. San Marcos also runs a high volume of transactions with a median well inside the first-time buyer band, and it carries the highest concentration of public employees in the region. That mix means two conversations come up constantly here. What a teacher or public sector household can actually qualify for, and how an investor should think about a market with a large and steady rental base, driven in no small part by the university.
Most purchases here land between $250,000 and $500,000
Jennifer Ferrara
Loan Officer · NMLS #2781982
Fourteen years navigating real estate deals taught me to listen before I recommend anything. Tell me what you're working with, and let's talk it through.
What fits here
Loan options that come up most in San Marcos
Price points and buyer profiles differ market to market, so the financing conversation does too. These are the ones San Marcos raises most often.
First-Time Homebuyer
A first-time homebuyer loan is any loan structured around the fact that you have not done this before, usually a lower down payment, flexible credit guidelines, and help covering closing costs. Most first-time buyers in Central Texas use FHA or conventional financing, often paired with seller concessions or a seller-paid rate buydown.
Read moreFHA
An FHA loan is insured by the Federal Housing Administration, which gives lenders more room on credit score and debt load than a standard loan. It starts at 3.5 percent down, and it usually wins when your credit is still being rebuilt or your debt-to-income ratio is tight.
Read moreConventional
A conventional loan is a mortgage that meets Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines instead of running through a government insurance program. It can start as low as 3 percent down on a primary home, and once you reach 20 percent equity the mortgage insurance falls off for good. It generally works best for buyers with solid credit who want the lowest cost over the life of the loan.
Read moreDSCR Investor
A DSCR loan qualifies an investment property on the rent it generates rather than on your personal income. DSCR stands for debt service coverage ratio, which is simply the property's rent divided by its total monthly payment. If the rent covers the payment, the deal generally works, and the lender does not need your tax returns or your debt-to-income ratio.
Read more
This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval, income and property verification. Rates, terms, and programs are subject to change without notice. Nook Lending is powered by MPA Home Loans. Jennifer Ferrara, Loan Officer, NMLS #2781982. MPA Home Loans NMLS #2778343. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Reviewed by Jennifer Ferrara, NMLS #2781982 · Last updated 2026-08-11
Down payment help
Down payment assistance in San Marcos
San Marcos actually runs its own program: the city's CDBG-funded Homebuyer Assistance Program, a forgivable loan toward your down payment and closing costs for households at or below 80% of area median income. Funding amounts move with the city's annual CDBG allocation, so I confirm the current number with the city's Community Development office before you count on a figure. TSAHC's statewide programs and BCL of Texas's NeighborhoodLIFT apply here too, covered on the full Texas Grants page.
See every Texas grant and down payment program I work withQuestions
Buying in San Marcos
Property taxes in San Marcos run about 2.0666% combined: Hays County at 0.3999%, the City of San Marcos at 0.6515%, the highest city rate among the six cities I work in, and San Marcos CISD at 1.0152%, its own school district separate from Kyle and Buda. I run the full combined number against your specific address before you write an offer.
Looking in San Marcos?
Tell me the price range and what you are working with. I will show you the real monthly number and the cash you would need, before you fill out anything.