Home Loans in Flagler County, FL

About Flagler County

Flagler County fronts the Atlantic Ocean between St. Johns and Volusia counties on Florida's northeast coast. Palm Coast, incorporated in 1999, holds most of the county's population, while Bunnell is the inland county seat and Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach and Marineland are the beachside municipalities. The federal government groups Flagler with Volusia County in the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach metropolitan area, and the University of Florida's estimates rank it among the faster-growing Florida counties between 2020 and 2025.

The county is wrapped in water. State boundary law ties it to the Atlantic coast, Pellicer's, Bulow and Smith creeks and Crescent Lake, which it shares with Putnam County, and Palm Coast describes about 70 miles of saltwater and freshwater canals along with the Intracoastal Waterway. Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 put 5 to 7 feet of water above ground along the coast, and State Road A1A washed out in many places. Rivers also reached major or record flood stages during Irma in 2017.

For buyers, local tools do much of the work. Palm Coast's flood preparedness page offers a real-time canal level check, a searchable file of existing elevation certificates and a form for a flood zone letter of determination, and the county's flood zone page covers the unincorporated area. Farming remains part of the picture: in USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture, vegetables, melons and potatoes were the largest farm sales category.

Quick facts

County seat: Bunnell
Region: Northeast Florida
Population: 140,714; 2025 · University of Florida BEBR, Florida Estimates of Population 2025
2026 conforming loan limit: $832,750; One-unit home · FHFA
2026 FHA loan limit: $541,287; One-unit home · HUD
Geography: Atlantic coast and the Intracoastal Waterway
About 70 miles of saltwater and freshwater canals in Palm Coast
Pellicer's, Bulow and Smith creeks, named in the county's boundary law
Crescent Lake on the western boundary, shared with Putnam County
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes land in Flagler and St. Johns counties
Housing types: Single-family homes on canals and trail-connected streets in Palm Coast
Oceanfront and beachside homes in Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach
Neighborhoods built mostly since 2000
Condominium and apartment buildings in smaller numbers
Major industries: Vegetables, melons and potatoes were the largest farm sales category in USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture, followed by nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod.

Figures show their source and year. Confirm details with the county offices.

Housing in Flagler County

Flagler County is mostly detached single-family housing, and the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey shows that a large share was built in the 2000s, with more added since. Palm Coast's neighborhoods are laid out along a network of canals and trails, and many homes sit on freshwater or saltwater canals, which ties value and insurance questions to canal levels and elevation. Bunnell is the older inland city, and the beachside communities have oceanfront and near-ocean homes along State Road A1A.

Apartment and condominium buildings are a smaller part of the stock, and short-term rentals are regulated: Palm Coast requires owners to register each year with the city and Flagler County. Some new construction continues on vacant lots, so a builder's lot should be checked for flood zone and elevation before contract. Marineland and Flagler Beach each cross a county line, so confirm the county of any address near their edges.

Financing in Flagler County

Condominiums

A Flagler County condominium in a building three habitable stories or higher falls under Florida's building-safety statutes: section 553.899 requires milestone inspections of those buildings, and section 718.112 requires structural integrity reserve studies. The documents to request are the latest inspection report, if one has been done, the reserve study, the budget and any assessment history. A lender reviewing the project may attach its own conditions, which can add time before closing.

Flood zones and flood insurance

Palm Coast's flood preparedness page offers a real-time canal level check, a searchable file of existing elevation certificates and a form to request a letter of determination of a property's flood zone. For the unincorporated area, the county's flood zone page posts FEMA map panels, flood studies and an elevation certificate map. FEMA's Map Service Center is a second source. For a building in a high-risk flood zone, federal law makes flood insurance a requirement on most mortgages. At the county's north end, part of the Matanzas River System Unit carries a federal bar on FHA, VA and USDA loans; check the CBRS Mapper and ask about conventional options.

Homeowners insurance

Hurricane Matthew's surge and waves along the Flagler coast show why coastal buyers ask about both wind and flood coverage early. Homeowners policies generally exclude flood, and wind coverage depends on the insurer and the home. Under Fla. Stat. 627.0629, an insurer's residential rate filing must include discounts or credits for proven storm-resistant features, and the state's My Safe Florida Home program lists wind-mitigation inspections at no charge to eligible owners, subject to availability.

Homestead exemption

Apply with the Flagler County Property Appraiser by March 1 after owning and living in the home on January 1. A small part of Flagler Beach lies in Volusia County, according to the state's municipal list and the University of Florida's 2025 estimates, so a buyer in Flagler Beach should confirm the county before asking about the appraiser, taxes or the clerk of court.

Property taxes

Florida's Department of Revenue notes that many first-time Florida owners are surprised when their tax bill is higher than the previous owner's, because a sale triggers reassessment on the next January 1. The property appraiser mails a notice of proposed taxes in August, and the tax collector bills in late October or November, with payment due by March 31. Ask a loan officer how escrow would be set for the first year.

Local homebuyer assistance

Florida Housing's listing says Flagler County applicants can choose lenders of their choice, but the primary loan must meet criteria set by Flagler County Housing Services, so read them first. Housing Services, at the Nexus building on Commerce Parkway in Bunnell, runs SHIP purchase help and home repair help, and its page also describes disaster help for urgent housing costs that is available only while a disaster declaration is active. Funding opens and closes.

Short-term rentals

The City of Palm Coast requires owners of short-term rentals to register every year with both the city and Flagler County, and the checklist includes a lease meeting the city's ordinance, a responsible party, business tax receipts, state registrations and a compliance affidavit. Long-term rentals are exempt. Other cities and the unincorporated county may have different rules, so confirm them before buying a home to rent.

Cities, towns and communities

Palm CoastCityIncorporated in 1999 and the county's largest city by BEBR's 2025 estimate; the city describes about 70 miles of canals plus the Intracoastal Waterway.
BunnellCityCounty seatInland county seat; Flagler County's Housing Services office, which runs SHIP, is at the Nexus building on Commerce Parkway.
Flagler BeachCityOceanfront city on State Road A1A whose pier was damaged by Hurricane Matthew; a small part of the city lies in Volusia County.
Beverly BeachTownSmall beachside town north of Flagler Beach and south of Marineland by Census Bureau coordinates.
MarinelandTownTown split by the Flagler and St. Johns county line; BEBR counts most of its handful of residents in Flagler County, and the National Hurricane Center cites the Marineland area for up to 7 feet of inundation in Matthew.

Official local resources

Links go to government offices, not to Mortgage by Ruben.

Flagler County: common questions

7 questions

How can I check a Palm Coast home's flood zone and elevation records?

The City of Palm Coast's flood preparedness page has a search of existing elevation certificates. It also has a letter of determination form that states a property's flood zone, plus a real-time canal level tool. Elevation certificates on file can help when you talk to an insurance agent. FEMA's Map Service Center is a second source for the flood zone.

What did Hurricane Matthew do to Flagler Beach?

The National Hurricane Center reported that State Road A1A washed out in many places along the Flagler County coast. The end of the Flagler Beach pier was knocked down. Dune lines were cut back by 30 to 40 feet in the area. Ask a beachside seller about repairs, dune and seawall work, and flood insurance claims.

Can I choose my own lender for Flagler County's SHIP purchase help?

Florida Housing's listing for Flagler County says applicants can choose lenders of their choice. The primary loan must meet criteria set by Flagler County Housing Services, so read them first. Funding opens and closes, so confirm availability with the housing office.

Do I need to register a Palm Coast home as a short-term rental?

Yes, if the home is rented short term. Palm Coast's registration requirements are in effect and ask owners to register each year with both the city and Flagler County, after obtaining items such as a compliant lease, business tax receipts, state registrations and a compliance affidavit. Failure to register can lead to a notice of violation. Long-term rentals do not have to register.

Which county do I use for taxes if I buy in Flagler Beach?

Most of Flagler Beach is in Flagler County, but the state's municipal list and the University of Florida's 2025 estimates show a small part of the city in Volusia County. For an address in the city, confirm the county first, because it decides which property appraiser, tax collector and clerk to contact. The same check applies in Marineland, which straddles the Flagler and St. Johns County line.

What is Flagler County's SHIP disaster assistance?

Flagler County Housing Services describes disaster help for urgent housing costs through SHIP, available only while a disaster declaration is active. It is separate from the program's purchase and repair help, which opens and closes with funding. Anyone affected by a storm should ask Housing Services whether a declaration is in effect and what documents the county needs.

Is there flood data for homes outside Palm Coast's city limits?

Flagler County's flood zone information page posts FEMA map panels and flood studies, along with an elevation certificate map for the unincorporated area, and the county emergency management page has a hurricane evacuation zone lookup. Inside Palm Coast, the city's flood preparedness page is the better place to start. Flood zones and evacuation zones are separate, so check both before making an offer.

Loan programs to explore

First-Time Homebuyer OptionsOptions and assistance programs for your first home.
Florida Housing Homebuyer ProgramsFlorida Housing first mortgages with down payment help.
Short-Term Rental LoansFinance vacation rentals using short-term rental income.
Construction-to-Permanent LoansFinance building a home with one closing.
Condotel and Non-Warrantable Condo LoansFor condos and condo-hotels outside Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project rules.

Not sure which program fits? Try the program finder or run your own numbers in the calculators.

Browse all loan programs

Neighboring counties

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Local information on this page is general, comes from public sources and can change. Loan programs and eligibility do not depend on the county alone, and this page does not determine them. For current facts about a property, check official sources such as the county property appraiser or assessor and FEMA flood maps. This is not a commitment to lend, and program availability varies by lender.