California’s 2026 conforming loan limit is $1,209,750 in most coastal counties (LA, SD, Orange, Marin, SF, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Ventura). Loans up to this limit are “conforming” and qualify for Fannie/Freddie rates. Anything above is jumbo. Inland counties have the national baseline of $806,500.
2026 California conforming limits by county type
High-cost coastal counties (LA, OC, SD, Marin, SF, SCC, SM, Santa Cruz, Ventura, Alameda, Contra Costa): $1,209,750 single-unit. Inland counties (Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno, Kern, Sacramento): $806,500 baseline. Some mid-tier counties fall in between. Always check the specific county before structuring your down payment around the conforming threshold.
High-balance conforming: conforming up to $1.21M
Loans between $806,500 and $1,209,750 in high-cost counties are “high-balance conforming” — technically still Fannie/Freddie eligible. Rates are 0.125–0.375% above baseline conforming, but still better than true jumbo. This is an important distinction: a $1.1M loan in LA County is NOT jumbo.
Multi-unit limits: significant opportunity
4-unit conforming limit in high-cost CA counties: $2,326,875 — and you can house-hack, living in one unit while renting the other three. This is one of the most powerful wealth-building strategies in California and it works with conventional conforming financing.
Why the limit matters for down payment strategy
If your loan amount will be $1,215,000 — just above the limit — putting $5,250 more down to hit $1,209,750 switches you from jumbo to high-balance conforming. This can save 0.25–0.50% on your rate, worth thousands per year. Run the numbers before finalizing your down payment amount.
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Michael G. DiVita, Broker of Record | CA DRE #01372066 | NMLS #241655
DiVita Home Finance, Inc. | CA DRE #01818285 | NMLS #323700
