Mortgages in Portsmouth, NH
Tom helps buyers and homeowners in Portsmouth, from downtown and the South End along the Piscataqua River to the neighborhoods off Route 1 and the Route 1 Bypass.
By Tom MacDonald, Loan Officer · Tax rate from NH DRA, 2025Elite Mortgage GroupNMLS #2748687Company NMLS #2502308MBR
No credit pull to start · Options from 45 lenders · Call or text 603-851-4982
What should buyers know about Portsmouth?
Looking for a mortgage in Portsmouth, NH? Tom MacDonald, a loan officer with Elite Mortgage Group, helps buyers and homeowners in Portsmouth and nearby towns with purchase loans, refinancing and pre-approvals, comparing options from 45 lenders. Portsmouth's 2025 total property tax rate is $11.51 per $1,000 of assessed value (NH DRA). See every Rockingham County town's rate.
Portsmouth is New Hampshire's port city, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River across from Kittery, Maine. Interstate 95 crosses the river into the city and runs northwest of downtown alongside the Route 1 Bypass, between the river and the Pease International Tradeport. The Portsmouth Traffic Circle links I-95, the Route 1 Bypass and the Spaulding Turnpike, which heads north to Dover and Rochester. Exit 7 leads to Market Street and downtown.
Portsmouth's housing leans more toward multi-unit buildings than most towns on this site. The city's own housing report found that more than half of its homes are in buildings with more than one unit, and recent Census estimates for the 03801 ZIP code put about half of units in single-family buildings. That mix of single-family homes, condos and two- to four-unit buildings means conventional, condo and small multi-family financing all come up here.
Market Square and the South End along the Piscataqua River are the heart of Portsmouth, packed with restaurants and shops. Condos and multi-unit buildings come up a lot here, and I'll help you compare loans for whatever fits.
Tom also works across Rockingham County and nearby towns, including Stratham, Hampton, Durham, Dover, Rye and Greenland.
Neighborhoods and areas
- Downtown and Market Square
- South End
- Christian Shore
- Atlantic Heights
- West End
- Lafayette Road corridor
Which loan programs fit buyers in Portsmouth?
- Conventional. Fits the single-family homes that make up about half of the city's units.
- Condo financing. Suits a city where many homes are in multi-unit buildings, especially downtown.
- FHA for 2 to 4 units (multi-family). May work for an owner who lives in one unit of a two- to four-unit building.
- Jumbo. May be needed for higher-priced homes above the conforming limit.
As a mortgage broker, Elite Mortgage Group works with 45 mortgage lenders, so Tom can shop your loan with many of them at once. Eligibility and terms vary by lender and program.
For buyers and homeowners in Portsmouth
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Buying or refinancing in Portsmouth?
Tell Tom a little about your plans and he'll follow up personally. There's no credit pull to start.
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Helpful guides
- Buying on the NH Seacoast
- Flood zones and flood insurance on the Seacoast
- NH property taxes and your payment
See all 7 guidesShow fewer
Close to Portsmouth
See all 57 townsShow fewer
- Litchfield
- Hudson
- Merrimack
- Amherst
- Hollis
- Pelham
- Weare
- Londonderry
- Nashua
- Manchester
- Salem
- Derry
- Windham
- Bedford
- Concord
- Milford
- Hooksett
- Goffstown
- Rochester
- Exeter
- Plaistow
- Hampstead
- Bow
- Pembroke
- Auburn
- Chester
- Raymond
- Atkinson
- Kingston
- Brookline
- New Boston
- Newmarket
- Epping
- Seabrook
- North Hampton
- Somersworth
- Barrington
- Sandown
- Hopkinton
- Nottingham
- Newton
- Deerfield
- Allenstown
- Fremont
- Danville
- Brentwood
- Candia
- Wilton
- Mont Vernon
- Lyndeborough
Compare towns, with tax rates and loan limits
Own a business in Portsmouth? The free NH Business Hub is open to every local business.
Common questions about buying in Portsmouth
Don't see yours? Call or text Tom or browse more answers.
Who is a local mortgage loan officer for Portsmouth, NH?
Tom MacDonald, a loan officer who lives in Litchfield, NH. He works with Elite Mortgage Group, a mortgage broker at 300 Elm Street in Milford, NH, and helps buyers and homeowners in Portsmouth compare loan options from 45 lenders. NMLS #2748687 · Elite Mortgage Group NMLS #2502308MBR. Call or text 603-851-4982, or read more about Tom.
What is the property tax rate in Portsmouth, NH?
Portsmouth's 2025 total tax rate is $11.51 per $1,000 of assessed value, set by the NH Department of Revenue Administration. On a home assessed at $100,000, that comes to $1,151 a year. The payment calculator fills in Portsmouth's rate for you.
What are mortgage rates like in Portsmouth, NH?
Mortgage rates follow national markets, so they don't change much from Portsmouth to other New Hampshire towns. What differs is how each lender prices your loan, based on your credit, down payment, loan program and the property. Tom compares pricing from the 45 lenders Elite Mortgage Group works with for your scenario on the same day. What does change by town is property tax: at Portsmouth's 2025 rate, each $100,000 of assessed value adds about $96 a month to your payment. The NH mortgage rates guide explains what sets your rate.
What are the 2026 loan limits in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is in Rockingham County, where the 2026 one-unit FHA limit is $962,550 and the conforming limit is $962,550. Loans above the conforming limit are jumbo loans. The FHA guide and the loan limit guide have the details.
Which loan programs fit homes in Portsmouth?
Programs that often fit in Portsmouth include Conventional, Condo financing, FHA for 2 to 4 units (multi-family) and Jumbo. The loan programs section above explains why each may suit Portsmouth's homes, and Tom can compare them for your situation.
How much is the transfer tax when you buy in Portsmouth?
New Hampshire's real estate transfer tax is the same in Portsmouth as everywhere in the state: $0.75 per $100 of the price, charged to both the buyer and the seller at closing. See the transfer tax calculator or the closing costs guide.
How do I get pre-approved to buy in Portsmouth?
Start with a short conversation with Tom about your plans for Portsmouth. It doesn't pull your credit. Then you complete Elite Mortgage Group's secure application, Tom reviews your income, assets and credit, and you get a pre-approval letter to send with your offers. The pre-approval guide lists the documents to gather.
Ready when you are
Three easy ways to reach Tom. No cost, no obligation and no credit pull to start.
Get a call back
A few quick questions, then Tom calls you.