Tennessee · home base
Johnson City, TN construction loans
Johnson City · Jonesborough · Elizabethton · Gray · Piney Flats · Unicoi
Our team works right here, at 119 Boone Ridge Road. Whether your land is inside city limits or out in Washington, Carter, or Sullivan County, we start with a conversation, not an application.
Building in the Johnson City area
Johnson City is home to our team and the center of a busy building market. New single-family home permits in Johnson City, Jonesborough, and unincorporated Washington County were up 38% through August 2024 compared with the year before, one of the fastest paces local builders have seen.
Many of the buyers we work with keep a job at the hospital, ETSU, or a plant in Kingsport and build on land in the surrounding counties. Their homes are often manufactured or modular homes on land they already own, or modest site-built homes on a rural lot.
Johnson City at a glance
- Counties
- Mostly Washington County, with parts of the city in Carter and Sullivan counties
- Nearby towns
- Jonesborough, Elizabethton, Gray, Piney Flats, Limestone, Unicoi, and Erwin
- Major employers
- Ballad Health, East Tennessee State University (ETSU), and the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home
- Our office
- 119 Boone Ridge Road, Suite 203, by appointment
What to check first when you build here
Who issues your building permit
It depends on where your lot sits. Inside Johnson City limits, permits come from the City of Johnson City Development Services Department. In Jonesborough, the Town of Jonesborough issues them, and exterior work in the town's historic district also needs Historic Zoning Commission approval. Outside town limits, check with the county your land is in. Confirming the right office is step one.
Septic approval comes early
If your lot isn't on public sewer, septic permits for Washington, Carter, Sullivan, and Unicoi counties go through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Johnson City Environmental Field Office on Silverdale Drive. You apply online, and a TDEC environmental scientist evaluates the site to determine the type of system it needs. That answer affects your site work budget, so it's worth getting before you finalize the house.
Budget for the land, not just the house
Wells, driveways, and grading on hillside lots are where East Tennessee builds most often go over budget. We build those costs into your loan from the start. The cost planner gives you an early estimate of the full project.
Recent builds near Johnson City
Names have been changed to protect client privacy. Results reflect each borrower's individual circumstances and aren't typical or guaranteed.
Local builders and retailers
Builders and home retailers near Johnson City
Working with a builder or retailer in Johnson City, Jonesborough, Elizabethton, Gray, Piney Flats, or Unicoi? Tell us who you're considering, and we'll check their approval early.
We've closed loans together
- Scott Britton Construction (opens in a new tab)Site-built homes, Tennessee only
- Clayton Homes (opens in a new tab)Johnson City
- Preferred Choice Homes (opens in a new tab)Johnson City
- Clayton Homes (opens in a new tab)Kingsport
- LUV Homes (opens in a new tab)Kingsport
- Summertown Metals (opens in a new tab)Barndominiums, across TN and KY
Build on your land
America's Home Place (opens in a new tab)
Manufactured and modular homes
- Clayton Homes (opens in a new tab)Elizabethton
Also nearby: Clayton Homes (opens in a new tab) (Greeneville), Horizon Homes (opens in a new tab) (Kingsport).
Builder or retailer serving the Johnson City area? We'd love to hear from you. Email us and we'll be in touch.
Listings are provided for convenience. Preferred Rate, a DBA of American Pacific Mortgage, is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, the builders and retailers listed. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting; this is not a commitment to lend.
Construction loan programs in Johnson City
We offer VA, FHA, and conventional one-time close construction loans, so your land, construction, and permanent mortgage are covered by one loan with one closing.
- VA construction for veterans and active duty, including the many veterans connected to the VA Medical Center at Mountain Home
- FHA construction when you're building with a smaller down payment
- Conventional construction when you have strong credit and a down payment
2026 loan limits in Washington County (one-unit home)
Limits are set each January by HUD and the FHFA. Your actual loan amount depends on your qualifications and the appraised value.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit your Boone Ridge Road office?
Yes, by appointment. Schedule a free consultation and let us know you'd like to meet in person. Many clients work with us entirely by phone and video, and either way works.
Do you only lend inside Johnson City limits?
No. Our office is here, and we work across Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky. Locally, many of our clients build in Washington, Carter, Unicoi, or Sullivan County, outside city limits. Tell us where your land is, and we'll walk you through what that county requires.
Is Johnson City in Washington County or Sullivan County?
Mostly Washington County, with parts of the city in Carter and Sullivan counties. The county and town your lot sits in determine who issues your building permit, so it's worth confirming first.
I work at ETSU, Ballad Health, or the VA Medical Center. Does that change the loan?
Your employer doesn't change which programs are available. What matters is your income history, your credit, and the project itself. Bring recent pay information and details about your land to the first call, and we'll show you which program fits.
Can I finance a manufactured home on land in Washington County?
Yes. When the home sits on a permanent foundation and is titled as real property together with land you own or are buying, it can be financed with a one-time close construction loan. Homes on rented land are financed differently. See manufactured homes on land.
Your land. Your build. Let's talk it through.
A free consultation is 20 minutes. We cover your land, your eligibility, and the right loan structure. No application required.
Tennessee · Virginia · North Carolina · South Carolina · Georgia · Kentucky
20 minutes · no application · no commitment
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