Chester County, town by town.

Sometimes. Homes along the Route 202 corridor and in the West Chester and Great Valley school districts regularly clear the conforming limit, which puts you in high-balance or jumbo territory. Jumbo underwriting looks harder at reserves and documentation, so structure matters more than a headline rate.

Down payment plus closing costs plus reserves. On a $600,000 Malvern or Exton purchase with 10% down, expect the down payment plus roughly 2% to 3% in closing costs and prepaids, and jumbo files often require several months of reserves on top of that.

Yes. Pennsylvania down payment assistance applies countywide for qualified buyers with a 640 minimum credit score, and it is used most in Coatesville, Parkesburg, and parts of Phoenixville where entry price points are still attainable.

It is common along the 202 corridor and it is documentable — bonus and RSU income generally needs a two-year history and evidence of continuance, and self-employed income is averaged from returns. Planning the documentation before you write an offer prevents underwriting surprises later.

Similar to the rest of Pennsylvania — lender and title fees, prepaid taxes and insurance, and transfer tax typically split between buyer and seller, with several municipalities charging above the 2% statewide baseline. Higher purchase prices make the percentage-based items meaningfully larger.

Yes, though condos require project review — owner-occupancy ratios, reserve funding, and litigation history can all affect eligibility. Checking the project early protects your timeline; townhomes in fee-simple communities finance like any single-family home.

Yes. Corie Adams (NMLS #1875205) lends across both counties, so a search that spans West Chester, Downingtown, Marietta, and Lititz stays with one lender and one pre-approval instead of restarting each time the map changes.