Jumbo Loans in Marin County

I’m Michael DiVita (DRE #01372066 | NMLS #241655), owner of DiVita Home Finance (DRE #01818285 | NMLS #323700) in Tiburon, CA. I’ve been in California mortgage lending since 2000 and founded DiVita Home Finance in 2007. I’m known as a creative mortgage broker: when a bank says no, I find the lender and the loan structure that can say yes. I’m based in Tiburon, and jumbo loans are a large part of what I do in Marin. Call (800) 239-1103.

Marin County’s 2026 conforming loan limit is $1,249,125. Any loan above that is a jumbo loan with the lender’s own rules — typically 700+ credit, 10%–20% down on loans up to about $2 million (20%–30% above that), debt-to-income around 43%, and 6–12 months or more of reserves. Because Marin’s median sale price was about $1.5 million in August 2026 (and single-family homes run higher), many Marin purchases involve a jumbo loan or a structure designed to avoid one.

What Counts as a Jumbo Loan in Marin?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets Marin’s 2026 conforming limit at $1,249,125 for a one-unit home — the national ceiling, shared with San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and several other California counties. Loans from $832,751 to $1,249,125 are “high-balance conforming” and still follow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules (with at least 5% down). Above $1,249,125, the loan is jumbo: it can’t be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so each lender sets its own credit, down payment, reserve and income rules. That’s why shopping lenders matters more on a jumbo than on almost any other loan.

What Marin Homes Cost

Redfin reported Marin’s median sale price at about $1.5 million in August 2026, across all home types. Single-family medians run higher and vary widely by town. For single-family homes that closed March 1 – June 1, 2026 (BAREIS MLS data compiled by Imagine Marin), medians were roughly:

Condos and townhomes in San Rafael, Novato, Larkspur and Corte Madera often fall within conforming limits. Single-family homes in Fairfax, Greenbrae and Sausalito are often jumbo purchases as well, and Belvedere and Ross sit at the top of the market. Current town data: Marin County home prices.

Jumbo Requirements by Loan Size

These are common ranges, not rules. Jumbo guidelines vary by lender, and the right lender for a 10%-down $1.6M loan is often not the right lender for a $4M loan with RSU income.

Reserves

Reserves are liquid or near-liquid assets left after your down payment and closing costs, measured in months of the full housing payment. On a $2.4 million loan at 7%, principal and interest alone is about $16,000 a month, so 12 months of reserves is well over $190,000. Many jumbo lenders count retirement and brokerage accounts at a discount (often 60%–70% of the balance).

Debt-to-income

Most jumbo programs cap total debt-to-income around 43%, with some lenders going higher for borrowers with large reserves and low loan-to-value, and some capping lower on very large loans.

Income documentation

Full documentation is standard: W-2s and pay stubs, tax returns, and for tech compensation, your RSU vesting history and schedule. Self-employed buyers can use tax returns or a bank statement jumbo; buyers with large portfolios can look at asset-depletion loans. See RSU and equity compensation mortgages.

Jumbo Rates in 2026

Jumbo rates are no longer automatically higher than conforming rates. In the Mortgage Bankers Association’s survey for the week ending September 18, 2026, the average 30-year fixed was 7.12% for conforming balances and 7.15% for balances above $832,750. What moves your jumbo rate most is credit score, down payment, loan size, reserves and which lender you use — jumbo pricing can differ meaningfully between lenders on the same day. See Marin County mortgage rates.

Fixed, ARM, Buydown or Points?

On a $2 million loan, each 1% of rate is worth about $1,300 a month in principal and interest, so structure matters:

• 30-year fixed — certainty for long-term owners.
• ARMs (7- or 10-year fixed periods) — often priced below the 30-year fixed; a fit for buyers who expect to sell or refinance before the first adjustment. See ARM vs. fixed.
• Seller-paid discount points — a permanent rate reduction. On a $2 million loan, lowering the rate from 7% to 6.625% saves about $500 a month; what that costs in points depends on the lender’s pricing that day.
• Temporary buydowns (2-1 or 3-2-1) — seller-funded, lowering the payment for the first one to three years. On a $1.5 million loan at 7%, a 2-1 buydown costs roughly $35,000 and a 3-2-1 roughly $69,000. I offer buydowns on jumbo loans; you still qualify at the full note rate. See buydown mortgages.
• Interest-only — available on some jumbo programs, usually for 5–10 years before the loan amortizes. On a $2 million loan at 7.125%, the interest-only payment is $11,875 a month versus about $13,475 fully amortizing, but you build no equity through payments and the payment jumps when the interest-only period ends. Interest-only loans can’t be Qualified Mortgages, so they come from non-QM or portfolio programs. See interest-only mortgages.

Seller credits on jumbo loans are capped by each lender’s own rules (conforming loans use Fannie Mae’s 3%/6%/9% limits by down payment). In multiple-offer situations on well-priced homes, asking for credits can weaken your offer, so the strategy depends on the listing.

Avoiding a Jumbo Loan

• Put enough down to land at $1,249,125. On a $1.5 million purchase, $250,875 down (about 16.7%) keeps the loan conforming.
• 80-10-10 piggyback. A conforming first mortgage plus a second loan (such as a HELOC) with 10% down. Compare the blended rate against a straight jumbo.
• Gift or gift of equity from family to raise the down payment.

More detail: jumbo vs. conforming loans.

Winning in a Competitive Marin Market

Marin listings still draw multiple offers — Redfin reported homes selling at about 101% of list price in August 2026, with roughly 40% selling above asking. A fully underwritten jumbo file, a lender with a fast underwriting desk and an appraisal ordered the day you’re in contract can shorten your financing contingency. That’s how we closed a $2.15 million Tiburon jumbo in 9 business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the conforming loan limit in Marin County in 2026?

$1,249,125 for a one-unit home. Loans above that amount are jumbo loans, underwritten to each lender’s own guidelines.

Can I get a jumbo loan with 10% down in Marin?

Yes, on loans up to roughly $2 million with strong credit (often 720+) and solid reserves, some lenders offer 10% down. Above $2 million, 20% or more is typical.

How much in reserves do I need for a Marin jumbo loan?

Commonly 6–12 months of the full housing payment for loans up to about $2 million, and 12–24 months for larger loans. Reserves must remain after your down payment and closing costs.

Are jumbo rates higher than conforming rates?

Not necessarily. In the MBA’s survey for the week ending September 18, 2026, 30-year fixed rates averaged 7.12% on conforming balances and 7.15% on larger balances. Your rate depends on credit, down payment, loan size and lender.

Can I get a buydown on a jumbo loan?

Yes, with lenders that offer them. Seller-funded 2-1 and 3-2-1 temporary buydowns and permanent discount points are both options on many jumbo programs; you qualify at the full note rate.