California’s 2021 conforming county loan limits for FHA, VA, Conventional and Jumbo loans
California’s 2021 Conventional Conforming County Loan Limit
For 2021, the FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Administration) set the baseline conforming loan limit for 1 unit property at $548,250 for Conventional financing (Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac) and up to $822,375 on high-cost counties in California.
What is a Conforming loan? A conforming home loan must meet, or “conform” to certain criteria or guidelines set forth by Government Sponsored Entities (GSE’s) Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The loan amount is just one of those criteria needed to be classified as a ‘conforming’ loan.
What is a High Balance or ‘high-cost' county loan limit? Loan limits are derived by median home prices in a particular county and have a ceiling of 150% of the baseline mortgage limit. Loan amounts between $548,250 and $822,375 are referred to as agency ‘High Balance’ or ‘Super Conforming’ loans because they exceed the baseline limit.
2021 FHA County Loan Limits in California
HUD/FHA determines their 2021 maximum county mortgage limit differently than FHFA. The FHA (Federal Housing Administration) is required to set a single-family floor and ceiling loan limit range, which is based on 80% to 150% of the median home prices.
The FHA’s current floor is $356,362 and the ceiling is $822,375.
FHA Jumbo loan limit – California FHA loan amounts in high-cost counties between $548,250 and $822,375 are referred to as FHA jumbo loans or FHA high balance loans.
2021 VA County Loan Limits in California
Good news….VA loans in California no longer have a county loan limit for 2021! In VA Circular 26-19-30, the VA announced that President Trump signed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act that removes all county loan limits for Veterans
The loan limits listed below are for 1 unit properties. Loan limits for 2-4 units are higher. Contact us for details on qualifying and loan limits for 2-4 unit property.
COUNTY 2021 FHA LOAN LIMIT 2021 CONVENTIONAL LOAN LIMIT Alameda 822,375 822,375 Alpine 463,450 548,250 Amador 364,550 548,250 Butte 356,362 548,250 Calaveras 373,750 548,250 Colusa 356,362 548,250 Contra Costa 822,375 822,375 Del Norte 356,362 548,250 El Dorado 598,000 598,000 Fresno 356,362 548,250 Glenn 356,362 548,250 Humboldt 356,362 548,250 Imperial 356,362 548,250 Inyo 373,750 548,250 Kern 356,362 548,250 Kings 356,362 548,250 Lake 356,362 548,250 Lassen 356,362 548,250 Los Angeles 822,375 822,375 Madera 356,362 548,250 Marin 822,375 822,375 Mariposa 356,362 548,250 Mendocino 442,750 548,250 Merced 356,362 548,250 Modoc 356,362 548,250 Mono 529,000 548,250 Monterey 739,450 739,450 Napa 816,500 816,500 Nevada 526,700 548,250 Orange 822,375 822,375 Placer 598,000 598,000 Plumas 356,362 548,250 Riverside 477,250 548,250 Sacramento 598,000 598,000 San Benito 822,375 822,375 San Bernardino 477,250 548,250 San Diego 753,250 753,250 San Francisco 822,375 822,375 San Joaquin 483,000 548,250 San Luis Obispo 701,500 701,500 San Mateo 822,375 822,375 Santa Barbara 660,100 660,100 Santa Clara 822,375 822,375 Santa Cruz 822,375 822,375 Shasta 356,362 548,250 Sierra 356,362 548,250 Siskiyou 356,362 548,250 Solano 550,850 550,850 Sonoma 707,250 707,250 Stanislaus 396,750 548,250 Sutter 373,750 548,250 Tehama 356,362 548,250 Trinity 356,362 548,250 Tulare 356,362 548,250 Tuolumne 356,362 548,250 Ventura 739,450 739,450 Yolo 765,550 598,000 Yuba 373,750 548,250