2023 California Conforming and FHA County Loan Limits

California’s 2023 conforming county loan limits for FHA, VA, Conventional and Jumbo loans

California’s 2023 Conventional Conforming County Loan Limit

For 2023, the FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Administration) set the baseline conforming loan limit for 1 unit properties at $726,200 for Conventional financing (Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac) and up to $1,089,300 in California high cost counties.

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 $726,200 and $1,089,300 are referred to agency ‘High Balance’ or ‘Super Conforming’ loans because they exceed the baseline limit.

You can view a map of the 2023 county loan limits here or download a PDF or Excel file here.

2023 FHA County Loan Limits in California

FHA determines their 2023 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 65% to 150% of the national conforming loan limit.  Mortgaee Letter 2022-20

The FHA’s 2023 current floor is $472,030 and the ceiling is $1,089,300.

FHA High Balance Jumbo loan limit – California FHA loan amounts in high-cost counties between $472,030 and $1,089,300 are referred to FHA jumbo loans or FHA high balance loans.

2023 VA County Loan Limits in California

Good news….VA loans in California no longer have a county loan limit for 2023!  In 2021, 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!

Who sets or determines the loan limits? (click to read)

Government agencies Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA = Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Conventional financing), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) not only publish qualifying guidelines that all banks must comply with, they also dictate what the maximum county loan limit can be.

You can watch a video of how they calculate loan limits here or read about it here.

Loan limits listed below are for 1 unit properties.  Loan limits for 2-4 units are higher.  Contact me for details on qualifying and loan limits for 2-4 unit property.

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County2023 FHA Loan Limit2023 Conventional Loan Limit
Alameda1,089,2001,089,200
Alpine497,950726,200
Amador472,030726,200
Butte472,030726,200
Calaveras472,030726,200
Colusa472,030726,200
Contra Costa1,089,3001,089,300
Del Norte472,030726,200
El Dorado763,600763,600
Fresno472,300726,200
Glenn472,030726,200
Humboldt472,030726,200
Imperial472,030726,200
Inyo508,300726,200
Kern472,030726,200
Kings472,030726,200
Lake472,030726,200
Lassen472,030726,200
Los Angeles1,089,3001,089,300
Madera472,030726,200
Marin1,089,3001,089,300
Mariposa472,030726,200
Mendocino546,250726,200
Merced472,030726,200
Modoc472,030726,200
Mono693,450726,200
Monterey915,400915,400
Napa1,017,7501,017,750
Nevada644,000726,200
Orange1,089,3001,089,300
Placer763,600763,600
Plumas472,300726,200
Riverside644,000726,200
Sacramento763,600763,600
San Benito1,089,3001,089,300
San Bernardino644,000726,200
San Diego977,500977,500
San Francisco1,089,3001,089,300
San Joaquin656,650726,200
San Luis Obispo911,950911,950
San Mateo1,089,3001,089,300
Santa Barbara805,000805,000
Santa Clara1,089,3001,089,300
Santa Cruz1,080,3001,089,300
Shasta472,030726,200
Sierra472,030726,200
Siskiyou472,030726,200
Solano685,400726,200
Sonoma861,350861,350
Stanislaus517,500726,200
Sutter472,030726,200
Tehama472,030726,200
Trinity472,030726,200
Tulare472,030726,200
Tuolumne472,030726,200
Ventura948,750948,750
Yolo763,600763,600
Yuba472,030726,200

 

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