Marathon FL mortgage broker who closes the deal, VE zones, STR, and everything in between.

Marathon is in Monroe County, which carries the maximum 2026 high-balance conforming limit of $990,150 for a 1-unit property. FHA and conventional both match this limit. VA has no loan limit for full-entitlement veterans. This means many Marathon properties that feel like "jumbo" deals are actually agency-eligible, a meaningful rate advantage worth checking before defaulting to jumbo.

Yes, Marathon is one of the strongest DSCR markets in the Florida Keys. STR income via AirDNA projected or trailing-12 actual income is widely accepted. Permitted waterfront STR properties commonly achieve DSCR ratios of 1.4 to 1.7×, easily clearing lender minimums. Always verify your STR permit with the City of Marathon before writing an offer, permit status is what determines whether a lender will use STR income at all.

Marathon is a patchwork of AE and VE flood zones. Lower-elevation oceanfront is typically VE (coastal high-hazard); canal-front and elevated lots are usually AE. The single most important thing you can do on a Marathon purchase: pull the elevation certificate before going under contract. Properties at 6+ feet above BFE often see 40 to 60% flood insurance savings. Surplus lines is common for VE-zone properties, Citizens typically won't write in VE.

Citizens writes in Marathon, but expect annual rate increases of 10 to 15% and active depopulation events that can move your policy to private carriers mid-transaction. Heritage, Slide, and Florida Peninsula are the most active private carriers in Marathon as of 2026. I pull insurance pre-quotes within 24 hours before any offer, because in Marathon, insurance cost is often the variable that determines DTI feasibility, not the loan itself.

Many Marathon condos fail agency warrantability, SIRS reserve requirements, high investor concentration, or master flood policy issues introduced post-Surfside. Non-warrantable condo financing via portfolio jumbo is the standard path in Marathon. Typically requires 25% down and adds 0.25 to 0.50% to the rate vs. agency equivalent, but closes deals that other brokers decline without explanation. I run condo questionnaire review before you go into contract so you know the path before you write the check.