Union Market
A food hall with more than forty vendors and restaurants around it. Wunder Garten's beer garden is across the tracks.
NoMa, Washington DC
Buying a condo in NoMa
Condo loans in NoMa's new buildings, where the lender reviews the building as well as your application.
Highlights
What's in NoMa
A neighborhood built mostly this century, between Union Station, Union Market and the Metropolitan Branch Trail.
The Met Branch Trail
A paved bike trail runs the length of the neighborhood. Alethia Tanner Park, with a playground, dog park and summer movies, is on the trail.
Uline Arena
REI's flagship store is in Uline Arena, where the Beatles played their first U.S. concert in 1964.
Union Station next door
Amtrak, MARC and VRE trains, and the Red Line one stop away.
Transportation
Getting around NoMa
- Metro
- NoMa–Gallaudet U station (Red Line), with Union Station one stop away.
- Rail
- Amtrak, MARC and VRE trains at Union Station, within walking distance.
- Bike
- The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs the full length of the neighborhood.
- Parking
- The nearby rowhouse blocks are permit-zoned and the commercial streets are metered. Buildings sell or rent garage spaces separately, so add one to your budget if you need it.
Neighborhood
Living in NoMa
Schools, restaurants, parks, and shopping in the neighborhood.
- Schools
- J.O. Wilson Elementary serves the center of the neighborhood, Two Rivers' flagship charter school is at the edge, and Gonzaga College High School has been on North Capitol Street since 1821.
- Dining & nights out
- Masseria, a Michelin-starred restaurant; St. Anselm; Red Bear Brewing; Wunder Garten; the NoMa summer movie screenings; and the Alamo Drafthouse nearby.
- Parks & recreation
- Alethia Tanner Park's lawn, playground and dog park on the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and Swampoodle Park's small playground to the south.
- The library
- The NoMa Library serves the neighborhood. The restored Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, DC's central library designed by Mies van der Rohe, is one Metro stop away.
- Groceries
- Harris Teeter at 1st and M Streets, Trader Joe's in the Union Market district, and the Union Market vendors.
- On foot
- Groceries, the Metro station, the trail and Union Market are within about a ten-minute walk of the neighborhood's buildings.
Next steps
Next steps by buying stage
Pick the step that matches where you are in buying a home.
01 · Still running numbers
Work out what you can afford
Estimate the full monthly payment, including DC property tax, insurance and any condo fee. The condo fee counts in full in your debt-to-income ratio.
See what you can afford →02 · Saving up
Plan the down payment
At NoMa prices, the down payment depends on the loan program and the property type. FHA needs 3.5% down, and the whole down payment can be a gift from family.
See what you'd need →03 · Writing offers
Get a pre-qualification letter
Attach a pre-qualification letter to your offer. Pre-qualification takes about two minutes and does not pull your credit.
Get pre-qualified →
FAQ
NoMa mortgage questions
Will a lender finance a unit in a brand-new NoMa building?
Yes, once the building passes project review. Lenders check how many units have sold versus how many are rented, whether the developer still controls the association, whether the budget funds reserves, and whether there is pending litigation. A new building can fail review because of incomplete paperwork or a presale threshold not yet met. Both are temporary, but they can delay your closing, so we check the building's status before you sign.
How much do amenity dues affect what I qualify for?
Concierge, fitness, pool, and roof-deck amenities are paid through monthly dues, and the dues count in your debt-to-income ratio the same way a car payment does. Higher dues lower the maximum loan amount you qualify for, so compare listings on total monthly cost, not only asking price.
Can the developer pay my closing costs?
Partly. Developer and seller credits are capped as interested-party contributions, and the cap depends on the loan type and down payment. A credit above the cap does not carry over; it is reduced to the limit. If you are counting on a developer incentive, have us check it against your loan before you sign.
Is a NoMa condo likely to need jumbo financing?
Only if the loan is above $1,249,125, DC's 2026 conforming loan limit. DC's limit is higher than the $832,750 national baseline that is sometimes quoted as DC's limit. Below the limit, conventional loan rules apply, without jumbo reserve and credit requirements.
Which DC buyer programs work in NoMa?
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 buyers pay the reduced 0.725% recordation tax rate on purchases up to $777,000 (tax year 2026). The DC Tax Abatement program, which waives recordation tax and abates property tax for five years, applies to homes priced up to $576,000 (tax year 2026). Buyers within the income limits can also apply for DC Open Doors (through DCHFA's participating lenders), which has no maximum sales price or first-time requirement, or HPAP (through DHCD-certified housing counseling agencies), which fits the lower end of the market.
What should I plan for when buying pre-construction?
More steps than a resale. Rate locks expire and delivery dates can slip, project review cannot be completed on an unfinished building, and the appraisal is done against the market at completion, not when you signed. We structure the financing around the expected delivery date and plan for a lock extension if it moves.
Ask a question
A licensed DC loan officer will answer your question by email within one business day.
Local expertise
Financing a NoMa condo
Three things to check on a NoMa condo: the building's project review, the monthly dues, and any developer credit.
Project review on new buildings
Before a lender finances a unit, the building has to pass project review: units sold versus rented, whether the developer still controls the board, and the budget and reserves. A new building can fail review on incomplete paperwork.
Amenity dues and qualifying
Concierge, gym, pool and roof deck are paid through monthly dues, and the dues count in your debt-to-income ratio the same way a car payment does.
Limits on developer credits
Developer and seller credits are capped by loan type and down payment. A credit above the cap is reduced to the limit, so we check it before you count on it.
Two newer condo buildings nearby have their own pages: Strada on Rhode Island Avenue and the Sidney on Florida Avenue.
Get the building checked before you make an offer
Send us the address and we will tell you where the building stands on project review and which loans that leaves you.