Buying a home on Capitol Hill

Rowhouses range from $650,000 for an unrenovated home to $1.8 million for a fully renovated Victorian. Condos in converted buildings run $350,000 to $650,000. Smaller units and English basements start around $250,000. Location within Capitol Hill, condition and distance to Metro move the price.

Only if the loan is over $1,249,125. DC's 2026 conforming loan limit is $1,249,125: DC is a designated high-cost area, so its limit is 150% of the $832,750 national baseline that national sites quote. Loans between $832,750 and $1,249,125 are high-balance conventional loans, still backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and underwritten to conforming rules rather than jumbo rules. Jumbo loans start above $1,249,125 and typically require a larger down payment, a 700+ credit score, and 6-12 months of reserves.

Yes. FHA 203(k) and Fannie Mae HomeStyle renovation loans finance the purchase price and the renovation in one mortgage, based on the home's projected value after the renovation. They fit an unrenovated rowhouse bought at the lower as-is price. Licensed contractors must do the work.

Most of Capitol Hill is in a historic district. Exterior changes (facades, windows, roofing materials, additions) need approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). Interior work is generally unrestricted. Required historic-appropriate materials can add 20-40% to the cost of those items. Check the historic district map before you plan exterior work.

Warrantability is decided building by building. Small condo conversions in rowhouses (2-6 units) can fail on unit count, reserves or owner-occupancy. A non-warrantable condo needs a portfolio loan, with a higher rate and a larger down payment. For FHA or VA financing, the building needs FHA or VA approval; check the building before you make an offer.

Yes, if the unit is legal. FHA and conventional loans can count 75% of documented rental income toward your qualifying income. The rental unit must have a DC Certificate of Occupancy; lenders cannot count income from an unpermitted English basement. Confirm the unit's Certificate of Occupancy before you count on that income.

An FHA loan needs 3.5% down, and the whole down payment can be a gift from family. For a condo, the building must be FHA-approved or pass FHA's single-unit review. Qualifying first-time DC buyers pay a reduced recordation tax rate of 0.725%, against a standard rate of 1.1% below $400,000 and 1.45% at or above it, on purchases up to $777,000 (tax year 2026); Capitol Hill rowhouses priced above $777,000 are over that cap. A home priced up to $576,000 (tax year 2026) can also qualify for the DC Tax Abatement program, which waives recordation tax and abates property tax for five years. Buyers within the income limits can also apply for DC Open Doors (through DCHFA's participating lenders) or HPAP (through DHCD-certified housing counseling agencies).

DC's residential property tax rate is 0.85% of assessed value. If you live in the home, the homestead deduction lowers the assessed value by $91,950 (tax year 2026). On a $900,000 rowhouse, that puts the annual tax at about $6,870. The deduction is not automatic: apply after you buy.

Check the foundation, the roof's age and drainage, the electrical system (knob-and-tube wiring in pre-1920 homes), the plumbing (galvanized pipes may need replacing), the HVAC's age, and any sign of water coming in. On a pre-1920 home, hire a structural engineer as well as a general inspector. Get a sewer scope: replacing an old sewer lateral is expensive.

Some Capitol Hill homes draw multiple offers. To make a strong offer, have a full pre-approval (not only a pre-qualification) and a set budget before you tour, and work with an agent who knows Capitol Hill.

District Mortgage is a licensed mortgage broker, not a bank or direct lender. We do not fund loans with our own money. We take your application, prepare your file, and submit it to a wholesale lender, which funds the loan. NMLS #2819502 — verify us at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.

No. We are licensed in the District of Columbia only, so the property has to be in DC. We cannot accept an application or a pre-qualification request for a property in Maryland, Virginia, or any other state. If your property is elsewhere, nmlsconsumeraccess.org will show you licensed originators in that state.

Alan Trombley, Principal Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #2805044, is your loan officer. He is licensed in the District of Columbia and handles every file from pre-qualification through closing.

Our rates page is the source for our pricing. It shows an effective date, the APR next to every rate, and the borrower assumptions each example is priced on. Rates shown anywhere on this site are current rate examples priced for the borrower assumptions published with them. They are not offers of credit or commitments to lend, and pricing changes daily. Anyone quoting a rate from us should cite the effective date it was published with.