Overview of West Virginia Mortgages
The Mountain State, with its Appalachian Mountain views, historical roots and logging industry, is a lovely state to settle down in. West Virginia mortgage rates have in the past been mostly higher than national averages. The state's counties have conforming and FHA loan limits that almost entirely stick to the standards.
| Product | Today | Last Week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 year fixed | 3.50% | 3.68% | -0.17 |
| 15 year fixed | 2.73% | 2.71% | +0.02 |
| 5/1 ARM | 4.48% | 4.40% | +0.08 |
| 30 yr fixed mtg refi | 3.50% | 3.68% | -0.17 |
| 15 yr fixed mtg refi | 2.82% | 2.88% | -0.05 |
| 7/1 ARM refi | 3.63% | 3.63% | 0.00 |
| 15 yr jumbo fixed mtg refi | 2.38% | 3.63% | -1.25 |
National Mortgage Rates
| Lender | APR | Payment |
| Searching for Mortgages...  |
Historical Mortgage Rates in West Virginia
West Virginia Mortgage Rates Quick Facts
- Median Home Value: $124,600 (U.S. Census Bureau)
- Loan Funding Rate: 54.03% (CFPB)
- Homeownership Rate: 75.6% (St. Louis Fed)
- Median Monthly Homeownership Costs: $1,050 (U.S. Census Bureau)
West Virginia is a beautiful state to both explore and settle down in. Here, you'll typically find mortgage rates that are higher than the national average.
A financial advisor in West Virginia can help you plan for the homebuying process. Financial advisors can also help with investing and financial planning - including tax, retirement and estate planning - to make sure you are preparing for the future.
*The FHFA stopped reporting new data in 2018.
West Virginia Mortgages Overview
Single-family homes in West Virginia are significantly cheaper than the rest of the nation. The median home value in West Virginia is $124,600, which is well below the nation’s median of $240,500.
The conforming and FHA limits for every West Virginia county, with the exception of Jefferson, is the standard $548,250 and $356,362, respectively. Jefferson County’s limits for both loan types are $822,375, due to the higher real estate market prices in the easternmost part of the state.
In West Virginia, homebuyers are going to come across deeds of trust as opposed to actual mortgages. This becomes important if the home were to go into foreclosure. When lenders who issues deeds of trust want to foreclose on a home, they are not required to get a court order to do so. Because of the “power of sale” clause in the deed of trust, the lender can hire a third party to auction the house and skip the expense of going to court.
West Virginians are buying homes in a “caveat emptor” state, also known as “buyer beware.” So for a buyer, it is particularly important that they uncover any defects with the property prior to purchasing. In this case, property inspections are an incredibly valuable tool to verify that a property is at a level of quality with which the buyer is comfortable. Home inspections are crucial for buyers to feel secure with their major purchase.
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates in West Virginia
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is the most common home mortgage among buyers, which makes sense, considering it offers a long time to pay off the loan during which the interest rate will remain the same.
Another option is a fixed-rate mortgage with a 15-year term. The monthly payments for this loan are more expensive than with a 30-year mortgage as you are paying off the same amount of money in half the time, but you will pay less interest.
The average West Virginia rate for a fixed 30-year mortgage is 2.62% (Zillow, Jan. 2021).
West Virginia Jumbo Loan Rates
There are conforming loan limits in each state to help set a limit for lenders to determine risk. If a home loan goes beyond that limit, the stakes are higher for the lender as there is more money on the line. Home loans in a particular county that exceed the county’s conforming loan limits are known as “jumbo loans.” Jumbo loans have higher interest rates to compensate for the additional risk.
West Virginia county conforming loan limits are all steady at $548,250, except for Jefferson County (822,375). This means that if you buy a home anywhere in the state other than Jefferson County, and you get a loan for $548,250 or less, you will have a conforming loan which is eligible for normal interest rates. If you decide to buy a home in Jefferson, you have a little more leeway to take out a bigger loan before it is considered “jumbo” and is subject to higher interest.
The average 30-year fixed jumbo loan rate in West Virginia is 2.75% (Zillow, Jan. 2021).
West Virginia ARM Loan Rates
Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are sometimes preferred to a fixed-rate loan because they offer a lower interest rate upfront. Usually, that lower rate is only available for an introductory period. So after a set amount of time (anywhere from one to 10 years) that interest rate can “adjust,” and that typically means it’s going to rise.
When that adjustment happens, it doesn’t mean the interest rate is going to skyrocket. The rate is capped at a certain level so that you’re aware upfront of how high it could go. However, the loan rate may still adjust to a level that you can’t afford. Before deciding on an ARM, it’s best to assess the potential maximum interest rate listed in the terms to see if it’s something you would be comfortable paying.
The average rate for a 5/1 ARM in West Virginia is 2.94% (Zillow, Jan. 2021).
West Virginia Mortgage Resources
Need assistance buying a house in the Mountain State? There are resources can help you achieve your dream of buying a home.
The West Virginia Housing Development Fund has a variety of programs for buyers at every step of the process:
- Homeownership program - Qualifying first-time homebuyers are eligible for affordable 30-year fixed-rate loans. Homebuying education and counseling are also available.
- Down payment/closing cost assistance - Down payment and closing cost assistance may be combined with the Homeownership Program or Movin’ Up Program to help reduce initial homebuying costs.
- Movin’ Up program - This is an affordable loan option for repeat buyers who fall under certain income limits.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development offers a program in rural West Virginia communities that helps residents obtain housing. Loans and grants are available from the USDA for buyers looking to secure a new home and for existing homeowners who need to repair their current house.
West Virginia Mortgage Taxes
West Virginia transfer taxes total $1.65 per $500, or 0.33%. That's divided between $1.10 for the state and $0.55 for the county. There is also a $20 flat fee on all transfers.
One reminder: Homeowners who itemize deductions on their federal income taxes are allowed to deduct the mortgage interest they pay throughout the year from their taxable income. West Virginia does not allow itemized deductions, so unfortunately residents cannot make this deduction on their state taxes.
West Virginia Mortgage Refinance
When it comes to refinancing, West Virginia residents can look to the High Loan-to-Value Refinance Option from Fannie Mae. These are basically replacements for the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), which was decommissioned in 2018.
Best Places To Get A Mortgage
SmartAsset’s interactive map highlights the best counties in the U.S. (and in each state) for securing a home mortgage. Hover over states and counties to see rankings and data points for each region, or use the map’s tabs to view the top counties for each of the factors included in our analysis.
Methodology In order to determine the best places in the country to get a mortgage, our study compared four factors, including overall borrowing costs, likelihood of securing a mortgage, property taxes and annual mortgage payments.
To calculate the overall borrowing costs, we analyzed the expected costs throughout the first five years for a $200,000 mortgage with a 20% down payment, including closing costs. We calculated the ease of getting a mortgage as the ratio of mortgage applications to mortgage originations (secured mortgages) in each county. Annual mortgage payments are a measure of the annual principal and interest payments for a $200,000 loan in that location using average mortgage rates in each county.
Finally, we ranked locations based on these four factors, giving equal weight to each factor. The areas with the lowest average rankings are the best places to get a mortgage.
Sources: Mortgage Bankers Association, US Census Bureau 2018 5-Year American Community Survey, Informa, Bankrate, government websites, SmartAsset
