Mortgage Broker Serving Warren County, New Jersey
NMLS #2560393Licensed mortgage broker in New Jersey
AI REMCO L.L.C. works with Warren County borrowers from Oldwick, in Tewksbury Township, one county east. Wholesale loan options, licensed mortgage professionals, and the county's real loan-limit picture explained plainly.
AI REMCO L.L.C. · NMLS #2560393 · Mailing address: 174 Lamington Rd #104, Oldwick, NJ 08858
AI REMCO L.L.C. is a licensed mortgage broker (NMLS #2560393) based in Oldwick, in Tewksbury Township, one county east of Warren. You work with the owner, Lawrence Higgins, MS, CFM directly on a Warren County purchase or refinance — older farmhouses, rural acreage and Lehigh Valley commutes included.
Warren County is a genuinely different lending market from the counties east of it, and the federal agencies treat it that way. Because Warren is grouped with the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ metropolitan area rather than the New York–Newark high-cost area, its 2026 conforming limit is the national baseline of $832,750 and its FHA one-unit limit is the national floor of $541,287. That single fact drives more Warren County loan structures than anything else on this page: FHA runs out earlier here than it does in Hunterdon or Morris, so the program choice on a mid-priced home is often conventional rather than FHA.
The trade-off is affordability. Warren remains one of the more attainable counties in northern New Jersey, which is why it draws first-time buyers priced out of Hunterdon, Somerset and Morris, along with buyers who work across the Delaware in the Lehigh Valley and want New Jersey schools and taxes. Phillipsburg, Washington, Hackettstown and Lopatcong see steady entry-level and move-up volume; Blairstown, Knowlton, Harmony and Frelinghuysen trade acreage, older farmhouses and second homes near the Delaware Water Gap.
AI REMCO L.L.C. is based in Oldwick, New Jersey, in Tewksbury Township, roughly half an hour from Hackettstown and Washington. We finance Warren County properties regularly and do not claim an office in the county. What we do bring is familiarity with the two things that most often complicate a Warren file: mapped flood hazard along the Delaware, Pequest, Musconetcong and Paulins Kill corridors, and older housing stock where an appraiser's condition notes can trigger repair requirements on government loans.
Warren County, NJ at a glance
- Median home valueThe middle value of owner-occupied homes in Warren County as estimated by their owners in the Census survey (2020-2024). Half are worth more, half less. It is not a sale price or an appraisal.
- $346,500
- Median property tax paidThe middle yearly real estate tax bill reported by homeowners in the Census survey. The percentage is that bill divided by the median home value, as a rough guide. Your own bill depends on the town, the assessment and any exemptions; ask for the actual tax bill before you buy.
- $8,119/yr
- About 2.34% of the median home value
- Home price changeFrom the FHFA House Price Index for the county, built from repeat sales and appraisals on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. The 5-year figure compares the index now with 5 years earlier. Past changes do not predict future prices.
- +6.8% in 2025
- +68.3% over 5 years (2020-2025)
- Median household incomeThe middle yearly household income before taxes in Warren County (Census survey, 2020-2024, in 2024 dollars).
- $100,869
- HomeownersThe share of occupied homes lived in by their owners; the rest are rented. From the Census survey.
- 75%
- 34,072 of 45,391 occupied homes are owner-occupied
- Typical home builtThe median year homes in the county were built (Census survey). Older housing can mean more repairs flagged by inspectors and appraisers, and homes built before 1978 require a lead-based paint disclosure.
- 1972
- Many homes predate 1978: expect lead-paint disclosures, and older systems can come up in inspections and appraisals
- Homes in a high-risk flood zoneHomes inside FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Area (the 1% annual chance floodplain). With a government-backed or federally regulated mortgage, flood insurance is required in this zone. Check the exact property: the zone can change street by street.
- 1.8%
- 642 of 34,797 homes
- Flood insurance policiesNational Flood Insurance Program policies in force on homes in the county, and the number of NFIP flood claims filed since 2015. From FEMA (OpenFEMA), as of August 2026.
- 374
- 69 flood claims since 2015
- PopulationEstimated residents of Warren County (Census survey, 2020-2024).
- 110,849
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates; FHFA House Price Index, county annual, 2025; FEMA OpenFEMA, National Flood Insurance Program data, as of August 2026. Public estimates for the county as a whole, for general information only; they are not an appraisal, a tax figure for any property or a prediction.
Warren County housing market
Government and Freddie Mac data, updated as each source publishes.
- Home prices, past yearChange in the Freddie Mac House Price Index for Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton PA-NJ, which tracks repeat sales and refinance appraisals of the same homes. It covers the whole metro area, not only this county. Past changes do not predict future prices.
- +5.5%
- July 2026 vs a year earlier · +42.5% over 5 years
- Home purchase loans, 2025First-lien and other mortgages made to buy a home, as reported by lenders under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and published by the CFPB. Cash purchases are not included, so this undercounts total sales. Published once a year.
- 1,238
- +2.1% vs 2024
- Average purchase loan, 2025Total amount of the home purchase loans reported under HMDA divided by their number. It is a loan size, not a home price: it leaves out down payments.
- $351,292
- FHA and VA share of loans, 2025Share of the conventional, FHA and VA mortgages made that year (purchase and refinance) that were FHA or VA loans, from HMDA. A higher share usually means more low-down-payment and first-time buyers.
- 18.6%
- 382 FHA · 126 VA of 2,730 conventional, FHA and VA loans made
- Refinances, 2025Refinance loans made that year, from HMDA: rate-and-term (a new rate or term) and cash-out (borrowing against equity).
- 829
- 407 rate-and-term · 422 cash-out
- New homes permitted, last 12 monthsHousing units authorized by building permits (single-family and multi-family), from the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey. New construction adds to future supply.
- 424
- -14.5% vs the year before · 26 in August 2026
Loading charts…
Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, HMDA data (loans originated); U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey; Freddie Mac House Price Index (FMHPI). Figures describe the past and are for general information only; they are not an appraisal, a forecast or an offer of credit.
2026 loan limits that apply in Warren County
Warren County's limits are lower than its eastern neighbours', and knowing that before you shop prevents a late program change.
Warren County is grouped with the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ metropolitan area rather than the New York–Newark high-cost area, so its conforming limit is the national baseline and its FHA limit is the national floor.
- Conforming (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac), 1-unit: $832,750 for 2026 — the national baseline.
- FHA, 1-unit: $541,287 for 2026 — the national floor. Above this, FHA is not available on a one-unit purchase in Warren County.
- VA: Veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, so the county grouping does not cap a full-entitlement VA purchase.
- Between $541,287 and $832,750, conventional financing is usually the path; above $832,750 it becomes a jumbo loan.
Flood hazard is a Warren County affordability issue, not a formality
Warren County is defined by rivers: the Delaware on its western border, plus the Pequest, Musconetcong, Paulins Kill and Lopatcong Creek. A meaningful number of otherwise attractive properties in Belvidere, Phillipsburg, Blairstown, Pohatcong and the Water Gap corridor sit in or near mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas.
If a property is in a mapped high-risk zone and the mortgage is federally backed, flood insurance is required — and the premium becomes part of the payment underwriting uses for your debt-to-income ratio. A borrower who qualifies without it can fall short with it. We check flood status at the start of the conversation rather than after an accepted offer, and we can quote flood coverage directly.
- Get the flood determination before you make an offer, not during attorney review.
- Elevation certificates can substantially change a premium on a borderline property.
- Older basements and prior water intrusion can also become an appraisal condition, separate from the insurance question.
First-time buyers and New Jersey down payment assistance in Warren County
Warren County is in NJHMFA's lower down payment assistance tier: $10,000 rather than the $15,000 available in counties such as Hunterdon, Somerset and Morris. It is still forgivable after five years of residency, usable once, and paired with an NJHMFA first mortgage.
The First-Generation Homebuyer Program is separate and adds $7,000 for qualifying buyers, so a Warren County first-generation buyer may combine up to $17,000. Anyone quoting a flat "$22,000" statewide figure is describing the higher-tier county amount plus the First-Generation add-on — that combination is not available in Warren County.
Warren's NJHMFA limits are also tighter: $134,600 household income for one to two people, $154,790 for three or more, and a one-unit purchase price limit of $566,355. FHA and VA maximum mortgage amounts prevail where they are more restrictive. NJHMFA sets and revises all of these figures.
Investors, self-employed borrowers and refinancing in Warren County
Warren's price levels make it one of the better rental-yield markets in northern New Jersey, particularly the older two-to-four-unit stock in Phillipsburg and Washington. For conventional investment financing, the lender reviews documented rent, personal income, other mortgage obligations and reserves. Older buildings also warrant an early look at condition, insurance and the appraisal.
For self-employed borrowers — contractors, trades, small manufacturers and Lehigh Valley business owners are all common here — bank-statement and profit-and-loss programs qualify income from actual deposits when returns are written down by legitimate deductions. And for long-time owners, a cash-out refinance is often the cheapest way to fund a renovation on older Warren County housing compared with unsecured borrowing.
What working with Ai Remco looks like
You speak with a licensed mortgage professional, not a call queue. We look at the property and the flood determination early, structure the file against wholesale lender pricing, and tell you plainly when a different program is the better answer — including when FHA is the wrong choice because of Warren's lower limit.
AI-assisted document handling shortens the mechanical steps: reading statements, extracting data, and running your profile through several structures at once. Every recommendation and disclosure comes from a licensed person. We do not quote rates on this page; a real rate depends on your credit, the property, the loan size, occupancy and the day it is locked.
Municipalities we serve in Warren County
We work with borrowers across Warren County from Oldwick, online and by phone. These are the municipalities we see most, and what tends to matter in each.
Phillipsburg
The county's largest town and its most active entry-level market, with dense older housing and two-to-four-unit properties.
Washington
Both the borough and Washington Township. Walkable borough housing at attainable prices, frequently a good FHA or NJHMFA down-payment-assistance fit; the township adds acreage and well-and-septic properties.
Hackettstown
Route 46 and 80 access plus an NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton Line station, which supports steady demand from commuters. Mix of borough single-family, condominium and townhome inventory.
Blairstown
Rural township near the Delaware Water Gap with older farmhouses and larger parcels. Well, septic and outbuilding value questions are common, as is proximity to mapped flood hazard along the Paulins Kill.
Belvidere
The county seat, a small Delaware River town with historic housing. Riverfront proximity makes an early flood-zone determination essential, since flood insurance changes the monthly payment materially.
Mansfield Township
Port Murray and Beattystown area, with a broad range from subdivision housing to acreage. Straightforward conventional and FHA territory at most price points.
Independence Township
Great Meadows and Vienna. Rural character with reasonable Route 80 access.
Lopatcong Township
Newer subdivision inventory adjacent to Phillipsburg, popular with buyers commuting into the Lehigh Valley. Typically clean conventional files with modern construction.
Pohatcong Township
Along the Musconetcong near the Delaware confluence. A blend of older housing and newer development, with flood-hazard proximity in the river corridor.
Loan programs that matter in Warren County
- Conventional loans
With FHA capped at $541,287 here, conventional is the usual answer on mid-priced Warren homes.
- New Jersey FHA loans
FHA works well on Phillipsburg, Washington and Hackettstown price points — below the county's FHA floor limit.
- VA loans
Full entitlement means no loan limit, which sidesteps Warren's lower agency caps entirely.
- New Jersey first-time homebuyer programs
Warren draws buyers priced out of the counties to its east; this is where the state programs fit in.
- Down payment assistance in New Jersey
Warren is in NJHMFA's $10,000 tier, not the $15,000 tier.
- Jumbo loans
Because Warren's conforming limit is the $832,750 baseline, jumbo starts sooner here than in Hunterdon.
- Self-employed mortgages
Contractors, trades and Lehigh Valley business owners are a large share of local borrowers.
- Bank-statement and Non-QM loans
Qualify on deposits rather than written-down tax returns.
- Cash-out refinance
A common way to fund renovation on older Warren County housing.
- Flood insurance quote
River-corridor properties need the flood premium in the payment before you make an offer.
Warren County mortgage questions, answered
- Who is a mortgage broker serving Warren County, NJ?
- AI REMCO L.L.C. is a licensed New Jersey mortgage broker serving Warren County. The company is based in Oldwick, New Jersey, in Tewksbury Township and holds NMLS #2560393. It arranges conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, bank-statement, Non-QM and conventional investment-property loans for Warren County properties. Contact: (732) 561-4292 or [email protected].
- Does Ai Remco serve Warren County?
- Yes. Ai Remco works with borrowers throughout Warren County, including Phillipsburg, Washington, Hackettstown, Blairstown, Belvidere, Mansfield, Independence, Lopatcong and Pohatcong. The company is based in Oldwick, in Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County — about half an hour from Hackettstown — works with borrowers online and by phone, and does not maintain a location inside Warren County.
- What is the FHA loan limit in Warren County NJ for 2026?
- For 2026 the FHA one-unit limit in Warren County is $541,287, the national floor, because the county is grouped with the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton metropolitan area rather than a high-cost area. The 2026 conforming limit is $832,750. Above the FHA figure, a one-unit Warren County purchase generally needs conventional or jumbo financing instead.
- How much down payment assistance is available in Warren County?
- NJHMFA offers $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance in Warren County, paired with an NJHMFA first mortgage — a forgivable second mortgage, forgiven after five years of residency, one-time use. Qualifying first-generation buyers can add $7,000 through a separate program. Warren is in the lower of NJHMFA's two county tiers; NJHMFA determines all eligibility and amounts.
- Can a mortgage broker get wholesale pricing?
- Yes. A licensed broker submits your loan through lenders' wholesale channels, which price differently from a bank branch's retail sheet. Broker compensation and applicable costs are addressed in your loan disclosures. Wholesale access does not guarantee the lowest rate available anywhere on a given day — credit profile, property type, loan size, occupancy and lock timing all affect the final number.
- What is the difference between a mortgage broker and a bank?
- A lender underwrites and funds the loan. AI REMCO L.L.C. is a mortgage broker that works with a wholesale lender. We help you explore available loan programs and guide you through the mortgage process. Program choices and costs depend on the lender and your circumstances; a broker does not guarantee broader choices or lower pricing than a bank.
- Can Ai Remco work with self-employed borrowers in Warren County?
- Yes. Bank-statement programs qualify income from 12 or 24 months of business or personal deposits; profit-and-loss and asset-based options also exist. These are documented Non-QM loans with their own credit, reserve and down-payment requirements — useful for contractors, trades and business owners whose tax returns understate cash flow, which is common across Warren County and the neighbouring Lehigh Valley.
- Can I finance an investment property in Warren County?
- Conventional investment-property financing may be available. Qualification includes your income, credit, debts, assets and the property. Documented rent may help, but the amount counted depends on lender guidelines. Expect different down-payment and reserve requirements than for a primary residence.
- Does Ai Remco use AI technology in the mortgage process?
- Yes, for document review, data extraction and comparing one borrower profile across several loan structures at once — which removes waiting time early in the process. Licensed mortgage professionals make every credit recommendation, program decision and disclosure. AI does not approve loans, set rates or replace underwriting.
- Where is Ai Remco located and what is its NMLS number?
- AI REMCO L.L.C. is based in Oldwick, New Jersey, in Tewksbury Township, in Hunterdon County, about half an hour from Hackettstown. Its NMLS ID is #2560393, verifiable on NMLS Consumer Access. The company is licensed for mortgage business in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. Phone: (732) 561-4292. Email: [email protected]. Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–8:00 PM Eastern.
Official sources
Loan limits, program amounts and eligibility rules on this page come from the agencies that set them. Figures change — verify anything you rely on at the source.
Talk to a licensed mortgage professional about Warren County
Tell us the address and your situation. We will tell you which programs the property actually qualifies for — including when the answer is not the obvious one.
[email protected] · Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–8:00 PM ET
More on financing across the state: mortgage help in all 21 New Jersey counties