California is the country's most expensive major housing market, which means the structure of your loan matters more here than anywhere else I am licensed. As a broker licensed in California (NMLS 2804916, through Evolution Mortgage, NMLS 2432729), I help buyers navigate loan limits, assistance programs, and the state's unique tax math to make a California purchase work.
Loan limits: where your price point changes your loan type
For 2026, the baseline conforming limit is $832,750, but California has the nation's largest set of high-cost counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, and the Bay Area, where high-balance conforming loans run up to $1,249,125. Above that, you are in jumbo territory with different credit, reserve, and down-payment expectations. Knowing which side of these lines your target price sits on, county by county, shapes everything from your down payment to your rate, and it is one of the first things we map.
VA loans have had no county loan limit since 2020 for buyers with full entitlement. In coastal California, that is an extraordinary benefit: zero down and no monthly mortgage insurance at price points where a conventional buyer would need six figures at closing. If you have the benefit, in this state especially, we price it first.
CalHFA and down payment help at California scale
- CalHFA MyHome provides a deferred-payment junior loan, up to 3% of the price on conventional loans or 3.5% on FHA, for down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payment until you sell, refinance, or move out. Income limits vary by county and homebuyer education is required.
- Dream For All, the state's shared-appreciation program, has offered up to 20% of the purchase price in limited lottery-based funding cycles, worth checking in the season you buy, never worth building a plan around.
- Local programs in many counties and cities stack on top; the right combination depends on where in the state you are buying.
Prop 13: the tax math that rewards holding
California property taxes are governed by Proposition 13: your base tax is set at roughly 1% of the purchase price (plus local voter-approved add-ons), and the assessed value can rise no more than 2% a year afterward, regardless of what the market does. Unlike states that reassess to market, your California tax bill becomes more predictable the longer you own. We budget on your actual purchase-price tax, not the seller's old bill, which is usually lower than what yours will be.
What else is genuinely different here
- Insurance availability. In wildfire-exposed areas, obtaining and pricing homeowners insurance has become a real underwriting factor. We get a bindable quote early, on some properties it decides the deal.
- Escrow-state closings. California closes through escrow companies rather than attorneys, with its own timeline rhythm; I coordinate the sequence so your rate lock and closing date line up.
- Market moment. After years of relentless increases, statewide prices have recently flattened and affordability has improved from its lows, a genuinely better entry window for prepared buyers than any recent year.
How I work as your broker
Because I am a broker, I shop your California scenario across multiple lenders, conforming, high-balance, jumbo, VA, or a CalHFA structure, and tell you honestly which one wins for your county and price point. In this state the difference between an average structure and the right one is often measured in hundreds of dollars a month.
Educational information only, not a commitment to lend, an offer to extend credit, or financial advice. As a broker, Evolution Mortgage arranges loans through third-party lenders and does not lend directly. Loan approval is subject to lender credit, income, and property review, and not all applicants qualify. All figures reflect 2026 information believed accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change. State and local program details, property tax rules, and insurance requirements change; verify current specifics with the relevant county or agency. VA loan eligibility is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the VA, FHA, HUD, or any government agency.