Dover’s spring 2024 market is squeezing first-time buyers: active listings are down 18 % year-over-year, yet median days on market sit at 11, the lowest since 2005. New construction is filling the gap—27 % of April sales were never-been-lived-in homes—but builders like Ryan and Schell Brothers are pre-selling lots in Camden and Magnolia before model homes open. Interest rates hovering near 6.75 % have trimmed bidding wars: only 14 % of contracts now escalate above list, compared with 42 % last May. That means a solid pre-approval from National Mortgage Home Loans can still win the house without waiving inspections or appraisals.

If you’re targeting the $200k–$260k band—the sweet spot for Dover’s ranch and two-story inventory—expect to compete with VA buyers who bring $0 down and debt-to-income ratios as high as 60 %. NMHL’s local underwriting cache gives conventional borrowers the same 21-day close pledge, leveling the playing field.

• Downtown Dover Historic District: cobblestone sidewalks, 1920s bungalows, $230k–$380k. Walk to Legislative Hall and the new Riverfront theatre. Special 20-year tax abatement on qualified renovations knocks as much as $1,100 off annual property taxes.
• Camden: 10 miles west, top-rated Caesar Rodney schools, $260k–$400k new construction. HOA fees average $35/month and the town maintains its own water system, so you’ll dodge Dover’s quarterly sewer surcharge.
• Woodcrest: 1970s brick ranches on quarter-acre lots, $225k–$275k. Home values here rose 5.8 % last year, fueled by retirees cashing out of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and grabbing larger lots at half the price.
• Rodney Village/Kent Acres: starter-friendly $180k–$230k Cape Cods, many with FHA 203k renovation potential. USDA Rural maps still qualify portions north of Kenton Road for 100 % financing.
• Rising Sun-Leipsic Road corridor: farmland giving way to 2,800-square-foot colonials on ¾-acre lots, $350k–$450k. Build times run 7–9 months; NMHL’s One-Time-Close construction loan locks your rate up front and converts to permanent financing with no second set of closing costs.

Kent County’s 0.54 % average effective rate means a $240,000 assessed home incurs roughly $1,296 in county taxes—about half the U.S. average. Dover city tacks on an extra $0.88 per $100 of assessed value, so inside city limits budget another $525. Senior citizens 65+ can apply for the School Tax Credit that shaves $400 off the annual bill, and veterans with 100 % service-connected disability are exempt from county taxes entirely.

Delaware levies a 1 % transfer tax on all sales; custom splits 50/50, so expect to pay 0.5 % at closing—$1,200 on that $240k purchase. First-time buyers using the Delaware First-Time Homebuyer Program can finance the transfer tax into the loan at 0 % interest, freeing cash for appliances or inspection repairs.

Delaware’s Diamond State Dollars grants 3 % of the sale price as a forgivable second mortgage—no monthly payment, forgiven 20 % per year. Combine it with FHA 203(b) and your total cash outlay can be as low as $8,400 on a $240k house (3.5 % down minus the 3 % grant). If your household income is under $89,900 for Kent County, you also qualify for the Mortgage Credit Certificate that turns 35 % of your annual mortgage-interest into a federal tax credit—worth about $2,400 a year on a 6.75 % loan.

NMHL layers these automatically during pre-approval; most national online lenders miss the county income bands and disqualify buyers who actually qualify.

• Fresh-Start FHA: credit scores down to 500 with 10 % down or 580 with 3.5 % down. We ignore medical collections under $2,000 and accept 12 months of verified rent in lieu of traditional credit.
• Bank-Statement Advantage: 12 or 24 months of business or personal statements for self-employed buyers. Loan amounts to $1.5 million, DTI to 50 %, and you can close in an LLC for asset protection.
• VA Elite: zero-down up to $4 million for Dover AFB active-duty and Guard. We count flight-pay and quarters allowances as effective income and exclude deferred student loans if they’ll be forgiven within 12 months of closing.
• USDA Rural Plus: 100 % financing on the edge of Dover’s development envelope—check the map at 0% down as long as AGI is under 115 % of area median ($103,500 for a 1–4 person household).
• RenovationOne: combines purchase and rehab in a single loan. Perfect for the $190k foreclosures on South State Street; borrow up to 110 % of the after-improved value and only draw once.

1. Get NMHL Pre-Approved Online in 10 Minutes: upload pay stubs or 12 months of bank statements, and our Dover team issues a same-day letter sellers trust.
2. Find a Local Agent Who Knows Kent County: we partner with 40+ Realtors who regularly sell in Camden, Woodcrest, and Highland Acres; ask for our preferred list.
3. Shop During Delaware’s Tax-Free Season: August sales surge as Dover Downs employees receive quarterly bonuses—beat the rush by house-hunting in late June.
4. Schedule Inspections Fast: Radon is prevalent north of Route 8; budget $145 for the test. Most Dover inspectors can turn reports in 48 hours.
5. Lock & Close with NMHL: once your offer is accepted, we lock your rate for 45 days at no charge, order the VA or FHA appraisal, and coordinate with Kent County Recorder to e-file your deed the morning of closing.

Ready to start? Tap the Apply Now button or call 302-678-9922 to speak with a Dover-based loan officer who lives in the same ZIP code you want to buy in.