High Country Homes in a Ponderosa Pine Village.
Pillar Mortgage Group arranges home loans in Strawberry, a Gila County village in ponderosa pine forest at about 5,800 feet. We finance second homes for families who want the cool air, full time moves for people leaving the Valley for good, and refinances for owners already here, shopping multiple wholesale lenders for conventional, VA, FHA and bridge financing.
Facts checked November 8, 2026. Not a commitment to lend.
Gila County loan mix
72.9 / 15.6 / 9.6
Percent conventional, FHA and VA of 2024 home loans reported under HMDA
Led by the loans that fit a high country village. Each one is available in Strawberry and across the Rim Country.
Cool air and pines on the weekends. Conventional second home financing can go up to 90% loan to value on eligible files (Fannie Mae), for a home you use yourself.
Leaving the Valley for good? Buy your Strawberry home before your current home sells with bridge financing. We quote your terms in writing.
Primary homes and refinances up to the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750 (FHFA). Put 20% down and skip PMI.
Retiring to the high country on savings? Asset depletion qualifies you on liquid assets instead of a paycheck.
Making Strawberry your full time home? With full entitlement there is no VA loan limit (VA), and the funding fee can be financed.
3.5% minimum down for a full time home. The 2026 FHA limit in Gila County is $541,287 (HUD).
Your first home in the mountains? Get the Arizona first time buyer checklist and a clear plan.
Self employed? Qualify on deposits instead of tax returns. 660 minimum score, 10 to 25% down, up to $4 million.
Buying a rental? DSCR loans qualify on the rent, ratios as low as 0.50 on eligible programs, closed in an LLC. Check local rules before you buy a rental.
Elevation, older homes and rural systems. Plan for these before you offer.
Strawberry sits at about 5,800 feet in ponderosa pine forest (National Register), well above Payson's roughly 5,000 feet (Town of Payson). At this elevation, roofs, heating, decks and access roads deserve a close look on inspection.
The village dates back far enough that its log schoolhouse was built in 1885 (National Register). Older and log homes can need repairs before a lender will close, so we plan for the appraisal early.
Strawberry is a small village named for the wild berries that once grew in profusion (National Register). A home here may run on its own well and septic tank, so ask for water and septic records with the listing and expect the lender to want them before closing.
Wildfire exposure in the pines drives what a homeowners policy costs, and no lender closes without one. Shop the quote while you can still renegotiate or walk.
The Bob Bear Trailhead into the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River is reached by Fossil Creek Road from Strawberry, and in season you need an advance permit to park in the permit area (Recreation.gov). Back in the village, local historical society research suggests the Strawberry School is the oldest Arizona schoolhouse still standing in its original location (National Register). If you want a quiet lot near the creek, have the title work checked for road access and easements before you close.
See the full monthly payment, including taxes, insurance, HOA and mortgage insurance. Your numbers stay in your browser.
Estimated monthly payment
Enter a rate
Down payment$0
Loan amount$0
Estimate only, not a quote or a commitment to lend. FHA figures use HUD's 1.75% upfront premium (financed) and HUD's annual premium by loan size and down payment (on 30 year loans, 0.50% or 0.55% for base loans of $726,200 or less and 0.70% or 0.75% above that; on 15 year loans, 0.15% or 0.40% for base loans of $726,200 or less and 0.15%, 0.40% or 0.65% above that); VA figures use VA's funding fee for first use (2.15% under 5% down, 1.5% at 5% to under 10%, 1.25% at 10% or more), financed. Conventional loans under 20% down usually carry PMI; enter your quote. Taxes and insurance vary by home.
Strawberry is highlighted. We lend everywhere in Arizona. Tap another city to open its guide.
Rim Country
Strawberry
Gila County. You are on this guide.
Small towns and close neighbors, tap to open:
Map geometry: US Census Bureau cartographic boundary files. City points: GeoNames gazetteer. Interstates simplified.
Tell us the home and whether it is a getaway or your new full time address. A real person follows up with your options, usually the same day.
No commitment · Under 2 minutes
We will reach out shortly with your options.
Straight answers for buyers and homeowners in Strawberry and the Rim Country.
Programs summarized; subject to lender guidelines, property and borrower eligibility. Not a commitment to lend.
Book a Free CallShopping the Rim Country? We lend in each of these and everywhere else in Arizona.
Primary sources, each checked November 8, 2026. Program terms come from Pillar Mortgage Group and are subject to change.
Reviewed by Pillar Mortgage Group. Last reviewed November 2026.
Pre-approval, a lender comparison and a straight answer on what you qualify for, for your high country getaway or full time home.
Pillar Mortgage Group, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, doing business in accordance with the Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Not a commitment to lend.
Company NMLS #2700076 | Arizona Mortgage Broker License MB-2009671 | View NMLS Consumer Access