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Construction Loans in Leon County, Florida
What it takes to finance a build in Leon County: the published 2026 conforming and FHA limits that cap your permanent loan, how draws and contingency reserves work, and an estimator for the interest-only carry and the payment it converts into.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. Loan limits shown are the published FHFA CY2026 conforming limits and HUD CY2026 FHA forward limits for Leon County, Florida; we are not affiliated with FHFA, HUD, or FHA. Eligibility, terms, conditions, and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program, and state, and all loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Reviewed for 2026.
Construction financing in Leon County is capped by the permanent loan it converts into, not by a construction-specific limit. The 2026 one-unit conforming limit here is $832,750, and the one-unit FHA forward limit is $541,287. A single-closing construction-to-permanent loan allows up to 95% loan-to-value against the as-completed appraised value, pays interest only on drawn funds during the build, and must finish within 18 months.
- ✓2026 one-unit conforming limit in Leon County: $832,750.
- ✓FY2026 one-unit FHA forward limit: $541,287.
- ✓No agency publishes a separate construction loan limit — the permanent loan governs.
- ✓Conventional single-close: up to 95% loan-to-value on the as-completed value; purchase or limited cash-out only.
- ✓Total construction period capped at 18 months, no single period over 12 months.
- ✓Interest is paid only on drawn funds, so the build payment rises stage by stage.
What this means for you: size the finished loan first, check it against the county figures above, then budget the contingency reserve and the build-period interest on top of your down payment.
Written by
Simply Approved Mortgages Team
Licensed Loan Officers · NMLS# 2620881
Get your personalized scenario summary
Complete the short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer sends back a written summary built from your own numbers: estimated payment breakdown, estimated cash to close, the loan structures that fit your file, and what documentation the file will need.
- Estimated monthly payment with taxes and insurance
- Estimated cash to close for your scenario
- Loan options your profile may fit
- Document checklist for your file
Takes about 3 minutes · Summary shown on screen and emailed to you
Illustration only, generated from the information you enter. Not a rate quote, lock, loan estimate, pre-qualification, offer, approval, or commitment to lend. Figures are subject to credit, income, asset and property review and full lender underwriting; binding numbers appear on your Loan Estimate.
Scenario summary
- Purchase price entered
- $412,000
- Down payment entered
- $20,600
- Estimated loan amount
- $391,400
- Estimated cash to close
- $14,300
- Programs reviewed
- 4
Sample layout with example figures — your own numbers replace these. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
What actually limits a build in Leon County
There is no such thing as a published construction loan limit. Construction money is short-term, interest-only, and released in stages, and no agency sets a ceiling on it by county. What is published, and what genuinely constrains your project, is the permanent loan the construction financing converts into. Those figures are county-specific and they are below.
| Units | Conforming (FHFA) | FHA forward (HUD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| 2-unit | $1,066,250 | $693,050 |
| 3-unit | $1,288,800 | $837,700 |
| 4-unit | $1,601,750 | $1,041,125 |
Read the table this way. If your finished loan amount lands at or under the conforming figure, a conventional single-closing construction-to-permanent loan is on the table. If it lands under the FHA figure and you will occupy the home, an FHA one-time-close may be as well. Above the conforming figure the permanent loan is a jumbo: still available for a build, but underwritten to an individual investor's construction guidelines rather than agency rules, usually with more down payment and more reserves.
Leon County in practice
Tallahassee. State capital and home of Florida State University and Florida A&M; mix of single-family and condo / townhome.
Tallahassee is the county seat, and the permitting authority for your parcel is whichever municipality or county department has jurisdiction over the address, not the seat by default. Confirm plan review and inspection timelines with that office before you commit to a construction schedule in your builder contract; on a single-closing loan the total construction period cannot exceed 18 months, with no single period over 12 months, so the calendar is a loan condition and not just a preference.
The two structures, and how to pick
- One-time close (construction-to-permanent). One closing, one set of closing costs, the permanent terms written into the documents up front, and automatic conversion at completion. Maximum 95% loan-to-value on the conventional version, measured against the as-completed appraised value. Purchase or limited cash-out refinance only.
- Two-time close. A construction loan first, then a separate permanent mortgage at completion. Two sets of costs, but you shop the permanent loan when the house is finished instead of committing to it a year early.
The honest tradeoff is rate certainty against flexibility, and which one wins depends on your build length and your view of your own timeline. Run both through the estimator on this page with your builder's real contract price before deciding.
Want these numbers built around your file?
A short request is all it takes to get a written scenario summary back from a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
Money that is not the down payment
Three costs surprise first-time builders more than anything else in Florida:
- The contingency reserve. Typically 5%–10% of the construction cost, held by you. Overruns come out of it. The loan amount is fixed at closing and does not grow because lumber did.
- Interest during the build. You pay interest only on what has been drawn, so the payment starts small and climbs. If you are also paying rent or an existing mortgage, that overlap is the real cash-flow constraint.
- Insurance and site work. Builder's risk during construction, plus whatever the parcel needs: well and septic, utility connections, grading, or a survey. None of it is optional and much of it is quoted late.
Before you sign a builder contract
- Get the fixed-price contract, plans, and specifications in writing. Cost-plus contracts are much harder to finance.
- Confirm the builder is licensed and insured in Florida and willing to be approved by the lender, which includes providing a résumé and financials.
- Order the subject-to-completion appraisal early. Loan-to-value depends on it, and a low as-completed value costs you cash, not loan size.
- Price insurance and property taxes on the finished home, because those figures are what your permanent payment and qualifying ratios use.
- Talk to a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer about which structure fits your build length and loan size in Leon County.
Compare loan officer compensation on your mortgage quote
Loan officer compensation is part of the cost of a mortgage. On eligible residential loans, Simply Approved Mortgages generally uses 1.5% lender-paid compensation. Enter the compensation shown on another lender's Loan Estimate to see the difference in dollars.
Compensation difference on this illustration: $3,750.
How lower compensation can help you
When less compensation is built into pricing, there can be room for a lower interest rate, which may lower your monthly payment.
Depending on the rate you choose, pricing can sometimes include a lender credit toward third-party closing costs, so you may bring less cash to closing.
A lower rate means a lower monthly payment, which can lower your debt-to-income ratio and may help you qualify for more home on the same income.
As a mortgage broker we compare pricing from wholesale lenders instead of offering a single bank’s retail pricing.
Tip: On page 2 of your Loan Estimate, look at Section A, "Origination Charges." If the lender pays the loan officer, that compensation usually does not appear there as its own line; it is built into the interest rate. That is why comparing the rate and any lender credits side by side matters.
Already have a Loan Estimate from another bank or broker? Share it with a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer, who will compare the rate, fees and credits side by side with options we can arrange. No cost to request a review.
Illustration only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend; binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Lender-paid compensation is paid by the lender, not directly by you, and is part of the loan's pricing, so the loan is not free of costs. A lower compensation figure does not by itself guarantee a lower rate or lower closing costs; individual results vary by credit, loan type, property and market conditions. Residential lending in FL and CO only. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
Construction estimator
Construction draw and permanent payment estimate for Leon County, Florida
A build has two payment phases, and most budgets only plan for one. Enter your lot, your builder's contract price, and the timeline to see the interest-only carry while the house goes up alongside the permanent payment it converts into.
During the build
- Total project cost
- $540,000
- Estimated down payment
- $81,000
- Estimated loan amount
- $459,000
- Loan-to-value on as-completed value
- 80.5%
- Average interest-only payment
- $1,434
- Final-month interest-only payment
- $2,869
- Interest over the build
- $12,909
After it converts, and what you bring
- Permanent principal and interest
- $3,015
- Taxes and insurance
- $650
- Estimated permanent PITI
- $3,665
- Down payment
- $81,000
- Loan origination fee
- $6,885
- Third-party closing costs
- $5,200
- Contingency reserve to hold
- $21,000
- Cash needed at closing plus reserve
- $114,085
County limit check (2026)
- One-unit conforming limit here is $832,750. Your estimated loan amount of $459,000 fits inside it.
- One-unit FHA forward limit here is $541,287. Your estimated loan amount fits inside it, so an FHA one-time-close may be available.
Methodology: loan amount is the lesser of total project cost or the as-completed value you enter, less your down payment. Construction-phase interest is calculated on an average drawn balance of half the loan across the months you enter, which is how a staged draw schedule typically behaves; your actual draws will differ. The permanent payment uses a standard fully amortizing calculation on the loan amount, rate, and term entered, plus one-twelfth of the annual taxes and insurance you enter. Limitations: construction costs, appraised values, inspection and draw fees, taxes, insurance, and rates vary by property, builder, and lender, program eligibility is determined at underwriting, and no figure here is a quote, rate lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate and closing documents.
Next steps
Send these numbers to a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer to review your builder contract and the program options for this county.
Assumptions, methodology, and limitations
County limits are used exactly as published: conforming figures from the FHFA CY2026 county list and FHA forward figures from HUD's CY2026 forward-limit file. Everything else in the estimator is an input you control. The loan amount is the lesser of total project cost or the as-completed value you enter, less your down payment; construction interest uses an average drawn balance of half the loan across the months entered; the permanent payment uses a standard fully amortizing calculation plus one-twelfth of the taxes and insurance you enter.
Outputs are illustrative estimates from your own inputs, not a quote, rate lock, offer, or commitment to lend, and not a determination of program eligibility. Construction costs, as-completed values, draw and inspection fees, insurance, taxes, and rates vary by property, builder, lender, and program. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate and closing documents.
Results are illustrative estimates only and are not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. No rate, APR, or program approval is implied. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Eligibility, terms, and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program, and state.
Talk through your scenario today
A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer can confirm which of these paths actually fits your credit, income, and property. Educational only, no obligation.
Purchase market update
What buyers should know this month
30-Yr Fixed · national avg
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15-Yr Fixed · national avg
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2026 buying power
Conforming baseline: $832,750
FHA floor / ceiling: $541,287 – $1,249,125
Florida taxes and expenses
What owning in Florida actually costs beyond the loan
Underwriting qualifies you on the full housing payment, not just principal and interest. These are the Florida lines that change that number — each one a published statewide average, not a quote.
Property tax
About 0.79% of value per year statewide (effective rate, Tax Foundation / Census ACS). Escrowed monthly, so it moves your qualifying payment.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey, owner-cost tables
Homeowners insurance
Average annual premium near $3,600 (NAIC). Wind/hurricane deductible and, in coastal zones, flood insurance are separate from the base policy.
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners — Homeowners Insurance Report
Transfer and recording
Florida imposes documentary stamp taxes on both the deed and the mortgage: $0.70 per $100 of the sales price (0.70%) on the deed statewide, plus $0.35 per $100 of the loan amount (0.35%) on the mortgage, plus a 0.002 intangible tax on the note. Fla. Stat. § 201.02 & § 199.133. Miami-Dade uses a slightly different single-family/other schedule. Documentary stamps on the deed and on the note, plus intangible tax on the mortgage.
Source: National Association of Realtors — Real Estate Transfer Tax
Who closes the file
Florida closings are handled by title companies or attorneys; both are common statewide. Total closing costs in Florida average about 1.82% of the sales price.
Source: CFPB / HUD — Your Home Loan Toolkit (settlement cost ranges)
Assistance programs in Florida are administered by Florida Housing Finance Corporation, which sets its own eligibility, income and price limits.
Related tools
Tools for a construction file in Florida
Only the estimators that apply to this kind of file. Every output is an illustrative estimate built from figures you enter — not a quote, rate lock, offer, approval, or commitment to lend.
Business-purpose loans are for non-owner-occupied property only. Program availability, leverage and terms vary by state, property and program, and can change without notice. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and arranges, but does not make, loans. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Local market updates
Florida housing market news — latest published data
Published housing and labour statistics for Florida, drawn from federal and industry data feeds and shown with each publisher's own observation date. The dated figures below load from the source series when this page opens. These are published market statistics for context only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend.
Data is republished as issued by the source and may be revised by the publisher. Averages and index values describe a market, not an individual file; your own terms depend on documented income, credit, assets, the property and lender underwriting. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Construction loans in Leon County: common questions
Answers to the most common construction loans in leon county: common questions, written by licensed loan officers.
Ask SAM anything about mortgages in Florida
SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant. It answers general questions using the reviewed guides published on this site and links you to the primary government source. It is educational only — it does not quote a rate, payment, APR, approval or commitment to lend. A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
Hi, I'm SAM — an AI assistant for Simply Approved Mortgages. I can explain loan programs, closing costs, DTI, down payments and which calculator or guide to use. I'm not a licensed loan officer, and nothing here is a quote, approval or commitment to lend.
Ask Sam AI provides general educational information only. It is an automated assistant, may be incomplete or out of date, and does not provide legal, tax or financial advice. Nothing it produces is a rate quote, APR, pre-approval, offer or commitment to lend. Never share a Social Security number, ITIN, date of birth, account number or password in chat. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Eligibility, terms, conditions and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program and state, and all loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Trusted government resources
These independent government resources can help you research mortgage programs, rates, and your rights before you apply.
Federal Housing Finance Agency
FHFA — Conforming Loan Limits, 2026 county list
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD — CY2026 FHA forward mortgage limits file
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD — FHA county loan limit lookup
Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with HUD, the CFPB, the FTC, the VA, or any other government agency. Links are provided for your independent verification.
How this page connects
Where this fits in the buying a home library
This is the local mortgage page for Leon County, inside our Florida purchase coverage.
Start one level up
- Buying a home in FloridaCovers statewide costs, taxes, and program access.
- The national purchase guideCovers the process every buyer follows.
Go local from here
- FHA loans in Leon CountyAdds the local FHA limit, MIP, and property-condition detail.
What most readers open next
- Getting pre-approvedBecause listing agents ask for it before they take an offer seriously.
- The affordability worksheetBecause to set a price range you can actually document.
- What closing costs coverBecause the second number every buyer underestimates.
- The down payment estimatorBecause to compare low-down-payment structures side by side.
- The document checklistBecause so underwriting does not stall on paperwork.
Explore the full guide
Keep reading — the rest of the buying playbook
Each of these is a deep-dive on one piece of the purchase mortgage process. Bookmark whichever you need next.
Guide
Construction Loans
The full guide to build and renovation financing.
Read the guide →Guide
Construction-to-Permanent Loans
How single-closing conversion works.
Read the guide →Guide
New Construction Home Loans
Buying from a builder versus building your own.
Read the guide →Guide
FHA One-Time-Close
The low-down-payment build option.
Read the guide →Guide
FHA Loan Limits
County limits for every Florida and Colorado county.
Read the guide →Guide
Mortgage Calculator
Check the permanent payment on its own.
Read the guide →Internal library
Related mortgage guides across our library
Follow the next relevant guide for your scenario.
Purchase mortgages
Buying a home
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Complete this short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will personally review your scenario. The form only asks what your program actually needs. Submitting it is not an application for credit and is not a commitment to lend.
Tell us about your scenario
The form below is tailored to Construction / one-time close — only the questions and documents your program needs.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only. We ask first so we never collect a mortgage inquiry we are not licensed to act on.
Construction-to-permanent files are sized on lot cost plus the builder contract, with the permanent loan qualified up front.
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Equal Housing Opportunity
Broker identification. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. We arrange residential mortgage loans with third-party wholesale lenders and do not make the lender's final credit decision or fund the loan. We arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Business-purpose mortgage products may be arranged in additional states only where permitted by applicable law and pursuant to applicable licensing requirements or exemptions.
Credit and program terms. All loans are subject to lender credit approval, underwriting, acceptable appraisal or valuation when required, title review, insurance, and supporting documentation. Eligibility, programs, rates, APRs, points, lender credits, fees, payments, terms, loan amounts, down-payment requirements, mortgage insurance, and availability may vary based on borrower, property, occupancy, credit profile, loan-to-value ratio, debt-to-income ratio, lender, loan program, and state and may change without notice. Not all applicants, properties, products, or programs will qualify or be available in every state. Nothing on this site constitutes a loan approval, rate lock, offer, commitment to lend, guarantee of approval, or guarantee of terms or closing.
Rates, payments and calculators. Rates, APRs, payments, down payments, loan amounts, home values, estimated equity, savings, affordability estimates, closing costs, and other calculator or scenario results displayed on this site are estimates or illustrations unless expressly stated otherwise. Actual loan terms may differ. Taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, association dues, lender charges, broker compensation, discount points, third-party charges, and other costs may apply. Advertised rates, payments, APRs, down payments, and other credit terms are subject to the assumptions and disclosures presented with the applicable advertisement. Applicable loan terms and disclosures will be provided as required for the particular transaction.
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Government-backed programs. Government-backed or government-insured mortgage programs referenced on this site may be subject to requirements established by the applicable government agency in addition to lender requirements. Government insurance or guaranties generally protect participating lenders against certain losses and do not constitute a guarantee of borrower approval.
Business-purpose products. DSCR, investment-property, and other business-purpose mortgage products referenced on this site are intended for qualifying business-purpose transactions. Business-purpose loans may be subject to different requirements and protections than consumer-purpose residential mortgage loans. Borrowers are responsible for accurately disclosing property occupancy and intended use.
Down payment assistance. Down payment or closing-cost assistance programs referenced on this site may be administered by governmental entities, housing finance agencies, nonprofit organizations, lenders, or other third parties. Program availability, funding, assistance amounts, eligibility requirements, repayment or forgiveness provisions, and other terms vary and may change or become unavailable without notice. Listing or referencing a program does not guarantee funding, eligibility, or mortgage approval.
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