Black Diamond, WA Mortgage Broker
Local home-loan help in Black Diamond and all of King County — from a broker with 30 years of experience and 41 five-star reviews.
Jodie Barber's home base. Black Diamond is a southeast King County plateau city on SR 169 between Maple Valley, Covington, Enumclaw, Auburn, and Kent. King County's elevated 2026 limit ($1,063,750 conforming and FHA) applies. A mix of newer master-planned neighborhoods and older homes in the original town; some rural parcels are on wells and septic.
Serving Black Diamond neighborhoods including Ten Trails, Lawson Hills, Lake Sawyer.
Loans available in Black Diamond
$0 down, no PMI — the home-loan benefit you earned through service.
View →As little as 3.5% down with flexible credit — for repeat and first-time buyers alike.
View →Lower your payment, tap equity, or drop mortgage insurance.
View →Definition
Who is the mortgage broker in Black Diamond, WA?
Jodie Barber (NMLS #76185) is a Senior Mortgage Planning Specialist with about 30 years of experience, working as The Barber Team LLC DBA Finance with Jodie and sponsored by NEXA Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #1660690). Black Diamond, in southeast King County, is her home base. She originates VA, FHA, conventional, and refinance loans — including investment-property loans — across King County and the Seattle area, and in nine other licensed states. She is not a real estate agent, and Finance with Jodie is not a real estate brokerage. Phone (425) 830-2240.
Black Diamond sits on the plateau between Maple Valley, Covington, Enumclaw, Auburn, and Kent — close enough to Seattle and Tacoma to commute, far enough out that lots are bigger and some homes run on wells and septic. That mix shapes the loan: King County’s high limits, newer master-planned neighborhoods like Ten Trails and Lawson Hills next to older homes in the original town, and a lot of veterans and service members who commute toward JBLM. This page is the local starting point.
King County numbers that actually drive a Black Diamond loan
King County is one of three Washington counties (with Pierce and Snohomish) on the elevated 2026 limit: $1,063,750 for both conforming and FHA one-unit loans, versus the $832,750 baseline elsewhere in the state. Above $1,063,750 is jumbo territory. VA has no loan maximum with full entitlement.
Washington has no state income tax. King County’s effective property tax runs about 0.83%. Washington is a deed-of-trust and community-property state, so a spouse may need to sign closing documents even when they are not on the loan. The graduated Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) is paid by the seller by custom, which shapes how much a seller can credit back to you.
This site does not publish a Black Diamond median price because there is no sourced figure in our data. For context, nearby King County medians in our data are roughly $665,000 in Kent (May 2026), $644,000 in Auburn (May 2026), and $662,000 in Enumclaw (March 2026). Jodie prices your file on the actual listing, not an average.
Loans Jodie focuses on here
VA loans come first: $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and no loan maximum with full entitlement — a strong fit for veterans and service members on the plateau who commute toward JBLM. FHA (3.5% down, flexible credit) works on most southeast King County homes because the FHA limit matches the $1,063,750 conforming limit. Conventional loans fit buyers with stronger credit, second homes, and investment properties. Refinancing — rate-and-term, cash-out, VA IRRRL, or moving out of FHA mortgage insurance — is welcome too.
- ✦VA loans — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, no maximum with full entitlement
- ✦FHA loans — 3.5% down (580+ credit), King County limit $1,063,750
- ✦Conventional and investment-property loans
- ✦Refinance — rate-and-term, cash-out, VA IRRRL, FHA streamline, FHA-to-conventional
Plateau properties: wells, septic, older homes, and new construction
Some homes around Black Diamond, Lake Sawyer, and the rural edges toward Enumclaw are on private wells and septic systems. Those add water tests, septic inspections, and occasionally shared-road agreements to the file. VA and FHA appraisals also look for safety and condition issues that older homes in the original town can trigger. None of that is a deal-breaker; it just needs to be planned before the offer.
Newer homes in master-planned neighborhoods usually appraise more simply but may carry HOA dues that count toward your debt-to-income ratio. Jodie includes them up front.
USDA is address-specific in Washington. The data on this site lists the Enumclaw fringe among eligible examples; much of urban King County is not. If you are looking at a rural plateau parcel, ask Jodie to check the USDA map for the exact address.
Washington down payment help is not only for first-time buyers
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) Home Advantage program can provide up to 5% of the first-mortgage amount as a 0% deferred second, with income limits up to $180,000 in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, homebuyer education, and roughly a 620 minimum credit score. It is not limited to first-time buyers. WSHFC also has targeted programs, including for veterans. Program menus change, so Jodie checks the current matrix for your file.
How to start
Call (425) 830-2240 or use the quote form. Jodie will ask what you are buying or refinancing, run VA, FHA, and conventional side by side where they apply, and give you a written pre-approval. If you need a local buyer’s agent, she can introduce one after pre-approval; she does not represent buyers on the purchase contract.
Keep learning
These guides live on the Learn hub — the same answers Jodie walks through on a call.
South King County’s largest nearby city.
King/Pierce line, JBLM-commute overlap.
Plateau town; fringe USDA by address.
I-5 corridor between Seattle and Tacoma.
Up SR 169 toward Seattle.
Jumbo and high-balance territory.
A local lender, not a listing desk
Finance with Jodie will pre-approve you for Black Diamond, Maple Valley, Covington, Enumclaw, Auburn, Kent, or anywhere in King County and, if you ask, introduce a trusted local buyer’s agent. No named agents, no Realtor® claim, no brokerage. Jodie Barber, NMLS #76185.
Black Diamond mortgage FAQ
- Is Jodie Barber based in Black Diamond, WA?
- Yes. Black Diamond, in southeast King County, is her home base. She is licensed in Washington and nine other states (AZ, CA, FL, ID, NM, OR, TN, TX, VA). NMLS #76185, sponsored by NEXA Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #1660690). Phone (425) 830-2240.
- What is the 2026 loan limit in Black Diamond and King County?
- $1,063,750 for a one-unit home for both conforming and FHA loans. Above that is jumbo. VA has no loan maximum with full entitlement.
- Which nearby areas does Jodie serve?
- All of King County and the Seattle area — including Maple Valley, Covington, Enumclaw, Auburn, Kent, Renton, and Federal Way — plus Pierce County and the rest of Washington.
- Does Jodie do VA loans in King County?
- Yes, VA is her top priority: $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and no loan maximum with full entitlement. See the Black Diamond / King County VA page.
- Can I use an FHA loan in Black Diamond?
- Yes, for a primary residence that meets HUD property standards. The King County FHA limit is $1,063,750, so FHA covers most southeast King County prices.
- Does Jodie refinance homes in King County?
- Yes — rate-and-term, cash-out, VA IRRRL, and refinancing out of FHA mortgage insurance, plus investment-property refinances. No rates are advertised; Jodie runs break-even math on your actual loan.
- Can I finance an investment property in King County?
- Yes. Investment-property loans are generally conventional and have different down-payment and pricing rules than a primary residence. VA, FHA, and USDA are for owner-occupied homes.
- Does Washington have a state income tax?
- No. King County’s effective property tax is about 0.83%, and REET is typically paid by the seller.
- My Black Diamond house is on a well and septic. Is that a problem?
- Not usually, but expect a water test and septic inspection, and plan time for them. VA and FHA appraisals also check that the systems are functioning.
- Is Finance with Jodie a real estate brokerage?
- No. It is a mortgage practice. Jodie can introduce a trusted local buyer’s agent after pre-approval, but she does not sell real estate or represent buyers on purchase contracts.
What Washington clients say
“Jodie has been amazing! She has gone above and beyond her job title. She will lay it out as simple as you need it and walk you through every step. She is who I would recommend to ANYONE trying to buy a house!”
“Unparalleled experience! Barber's blend of professional expertise and personal attentiveness is a rare combination in today's service industries. I recommend her with a five-star rating.”
“She is patient, attentive to your wants and needs, transparent, and understanding. She advocates for her clients to ensure they get the best — Jodie made the homeownership process run smoothly for me.”
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