A mortgage broker you can actually reach.
I'm Jonathan Boukarim, an independent licensed broker in San Diego. Instead of pushing one bank's rate sheet, I shop your loan across 50+ wholesale lenders and bring you the two or three that genuinely win on cost and approval odds. You work with me directly — not a call center.
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and mortgage insurance where it applies.
Which California loan program fits you?
Most people arrive assuming they know. Answer one question and I'll point you to the program that's usually cheapest for your situation — and tell you what to check.
A caveat worth stating: this points you in a direction, it doesn't decide anything. Real answers depend on your credit, your county, your timeline, and how long you'll keep the home. That's a ten-minute conversation, and I'd rather have it than have you guess from a webpage. Call (619) 436-5578.
California is not one housing market — it's dozens
A loan that makes sense in Fresno rarely makes sense in San Mateo. Where your property sits changes which program is cheapest for you, and it's the first thing I check.
The 2026 conforming loan limit runs from $832,750 in most California counties up to $1,249,125 in high-cost counties like Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Clara, and San Francisco. That single figure determines whether you're looking at standard conforming, high-balance conforming, or true jumbo financing — three tiers with genuinely different pricing and requirements.
That's the core difference between a broker and a bank. A bank offers you the bank's products, priced from one rate sheet with one set of overlays. As an independent broker I compare pricing from 50+ wholesale lenders on the same file and bring you the two or three that actually win.
Most of my clients arrive deciding between FHA, VA, and conventional and aren't sure which is cheaper for their specific numbers. That's a real question with a real answer, and it usually isn't the one the internet guessed. I'll run all three and show you the monthly payment, the total cost over the years you actually plan to keep the home, and the cleanest path to approval.
Including when the answer is no. If refinancing doesn't pencil out yet, if a HELOC beats a cash-out for you, or if you'd do better waiting three months to cross a credit tier — that's what I'll tell you. It costs me a transaction and earns a client.
Every California mortgage program, compared honestly
Each guide includes the real requirements, the honest downsides, and a calculator for your own numbers.
FHA Loans
3.5% down with credit from 580, and 2026 California limits reaching $1,249,125 in high-cost counties. Annual mortgage insurance is 0.55% — a figure most sites still quote wrong at 0.85%.
FHA loans in California →VA Loans
Zero down, no mortgage insurance, and — with full entitlement — no loan limit at all since 2020. A qualified veteran can buy above $1.2M in the Bay Area with $0 down.
VA loans in California →Conventional Loans
From 3% down for first-time buyers, and the defining advantage: PMI cancels at 20% equity — and appreciation counts toward it. Often the cheapest option above 680 credit.
Conventional loans in California →Jumbo Loans
Above your county's limit. But check first — many buyers quoted "jumbo" between $900K and $1.6M actually qualify for high-balance conforming, which is cheaper and easier.
Jumbo loans in California →USDA Loans
$0 down with a lower annual fee than FHA. The word "rural" misleads — plenty of ordinary California suburbs with a 40-minute metro commute sit inside eligible zones.
USDA loans in California →Non-QM Loans
For self-employed borrowers and investors whose tax returns understate real income. Bank statement, DSCR, 1099, and asset depletion programs — with honest warnings about prepayment penalties.
Non-QM loans in California →HELOC
Tap equity without touching your first mortgage. If you're holding a 3% pandemic-era rate, this is almost always better than a cash-out refinance — and I'll show you why.
HELOC in California →Refinance Loans
Rate-and-term, cash-out, FHA Streamline, VA IRRRL, and conventional. It all comes down to one number: your break-even month. If it lands past your horizon, I'll say don't.
Refinance options in California →ARM Loans
Fixed for five, seven, or ten years, then adjusting. Before the discount, see the ceiling — your worst-case payment is written into the note and knowable on day one.
ARM loans in California →Which financing tier is your purchase in?
Three tiers, genuinely different pricing. A lot of California buyers get quoted jumbo terms when they qualify for something cheaper.
Above the baseline but under this county's ceiling — still agency-eligible, and cheaper than jumbo.
How California mortgage rates actually get set
Your rate isn't a single national number. It's assembled from your file, and several of the inputs are things you can influence before you lock.
What I do about it: because I'm shopping wholesale pricing across 50+ lenders at once rather than quoting one bank's retail sheet, I can usually find a better number for the same borrower. Pricing genuinely varies lender to lender on identical files.
- Credit score — 740+ gets the best pricing, and the tiers are real steps rather than a smooth curve. Being a few points below a threshold costs real money, and it's often fixable in one cycle. Ask before you lock.
- Down payment — 20% eliminates mortgage insurance and usually lowers your rate. Some lenders also have pricing breakpoints at 65% and 70% loan-to-value worth structuring toward.
- Loan term — 15-year fixed prices below 30-year. ARMs start lower but adjust later; the 20-year is the frequently overlooked middle option.
- Debt-to-income — most lenders want total monthly debt under about 43% of gross income, with automated underwriting sometimes stretching to 50% given strong compensating factors.
- Property type and occupancy — a primary single-family home prices best. Condos, second homes, and investment properties carry add-ons, and condo project review can complicate things independently of your file.
- Loan size and tier — crossing your county's conforming limit changes your program entirely. Sometimes adjusting the down payment slightly to stay under it saves more than the extra cash was worth.
Your California home loan, step by step
Buying or refinancing doesn't have to be opaque. Here's exactly what happens and what I handle.
A conversation first
Before any application, we talk through your situation — timeline, credit range, county, and what you're trying to accomplish. This is where I'd tell you if a different program is cheaper, or if waiting is smarter. It takes about ten minutes.
Apply online
A short, secure form with your basic financials. About ten minutes of your time.
Get pre-approved
I verify your numbers and issue a documented pre-approval letter — the kind that strengthens an offer in a competitive California market, not a soft pre-qualification.
I shop your file
Across 50+ wholesale lenders, comparing rate and fees together, since a lower rate with higher costs frequently loses. You see the best two or three side by side with the real cost of each.
Appraisal and underwriting
I coordinate the appraisal, condo project review where it applies, and underwriting conditions — so you're not chasing documents while you're in contract.
Close and move in
You sign, you get keys. I stay on the file through closing rather than handing you to a processor halfway.
What you need to qualify in California
Every program differs, but most California approvals come down to the same five things.
Declined somewhere already? That was one lender's overlay, not an industry rule. Lenders draw these lines in genuinely different places — especially on credit minimums and self-employed income. It costs nothing to have me look. (619) 436-5578
- Credit — 580 for FHA, 620 for conventional and VA, 700+ typical for jumbo. Above 740 gets the best pricing across every program.
- Income documentation — two years of tax returns, recent pay stubs, W-2s. Self-employed borrowers bring business returns and a P&L — and if your write-offs understate what you earn, bank statement programs exist for exactly that.
- Assets — bank statements covering your down payment, closing costs, and for most programs two to six months of reserves. Jumbo wants considerably more.
- Debt-to-income — under 43% for most conventional loans, with some programs stretching to 50% given strong compensating factors. VA uses residual income instead, which is more forgiving in high-cost California.
- Employment — two years of steady history. A recent job change isn't a dealbreaker; it needs an explanation and sometimes an offer letter.
Four things I watch for that don't come up elsewhere
County limits push ordinary homes into jumbo territory
High coastal prices mean a modest three-bedroom can require jumbo or high-balance conforming financing. Buyers routinely discover this mid-search rather than before writing an offer. Checking your county's limit takes one phone call and changes what you shop for. See jumbo loans for the three-tier breakdown.
CalHFA and down payment assistance
California operates state-level down payment assistance programs for eligible first-time buyers, and various county and city programs run alongside them. Some pair with FHA financing, some structure as deferred or forgivable second liens. Availability and funding change, so it's worth asking what's currently open in your county rather than assuming.
Older housing stock and unpermitted additions
Much of California's housing predates 1978, which triggers lead-paint rules on FHA and VA appraisals. Unpermitted additions are extremely common here — a converted garage sold as a bedroom, an addition that never went through the county. When square footage doesn't match county records, financing can stall. Checking permit history before you write an offer avoids a lot of trouble.
Proposition 13 and refinancing
A frequent worry with a reassuring answer: refinancing does not trigger reassessment under Prop 13. Your assessed value and tax basis follow acquisition, not refinancing. New construction is different — an ADU built with equity proceeds adds assessed value for the improvement while your original basis stays intact. Worth budgeting for on an ADU project.
Condos deserve a specific mention. Lenders review the HOA as well as you: reserve funding, owner-occupancy ratios, litigation, and — increasingly across California — insurance adequacy. A perfectly qualified buyer can be declined because of the building. Get the project reviewed early, not after your appraisal clears.
You call, I answer.
I'm Jonathan Boukarim, a licensed California mortgage broker working out of San Diego. I built this practice around one idea: you should work directly with the person actually shopping your loan.
When you call (619) 436-5578, you get me — not a queue, not a rotating loan officer, not a call center in another state. I compare 50+ lenders on every file so you see real options rather than one bank's pitch. And I'll give you the honest math even when the answer is "wait," or "the other program is cheaper for you," or "call your servicer instead — that costs a fraction of a refinance."
Serving all 58 California counties
Based in San Diego, licensed statewide. Local market pages for the areas where I work most.
Not listed? I'm licensed across California — call (619) 436-5578 and tell me where you're buying.
All California loan programs
California Mortgage FAQs
What does a mortgage broker do that a bank doesn't?+
A bank offers you the bank's products, priced from one rate sheet with one set of credit and property overlays. If your file doesn't fit, you're declined and you start over elsewhere.
An independent broker shops the same file across many wholesale lenders. That matters most where guidelines vary — jumbo, Non-QM, self-employed income, and lower credit scores — because what one lender calls a hard rule, another treats as a preference. The pricing differences on identical files are real too.
What are the 2026 conforming loan limits in California?+
They run from a baseline of $832,750 in most California counties up to $1,249,125 in high-cost counties including Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Several counties fall between those two figures with their own specific limits.
The distinction matters: in high-cost counties, loans between the baseline and the ceiling are high-balance conforming, not jumbo — cheaper, with standardized guidelines. Use the tier checker above, then confirm your exact county figure with me.
Which loan program is cheapest for me?+
It depends on your credit, down payment, and how long you'll keep the home — and the answer surprises people regularly. FHA usually wins below 680 credit because its mortgage insurance is a flat rate that doesn't worsen as your score drops. Conventional usually wins above 700 with 5%+ down because the PMI cancels. VA wins outright if you're eligible. USDA wins if your address and income qualify.
Compare total cost over your expected holding period, not the month-one payment. That's the single most common way California buyers end up in the wrong program.
How much do I need for a down payment in California?+
Less than most people assume. VA and USDA offer $0 down for those who qualify. FHA needs 3.5% with a 580 score. Conventional starts at 3% for eligible first-time buyers and 5% otherwise. Jumbo typically wants 10–20%.
Gift funds from family are permitted on most programs, and CalHFA plus various county programs offer down payment assistance for eligible California buyers.
What credit score do I need to buy a home in California?+
580 opens FHA at 3.5% down, and 500–579 can work with 10% down at some lenders. Conventional and VA generally start at 620, jumbo typically at 700. Above 740 you get the best pricing on every program.
Worth knowing: many of these floors are lender overlays rather than program rules. VA sets no minimum at all; lenders add one. If you've been declined, another lender may say yes.
How long does it take to close a mortgage in California?+
Typically 30 to 45 days for a purchase, with the appraisal and documentation turnaround the main variables. Refinances run three to five weeks. Streamline programs — FHA Streamline and VA IRRRL — often close in two to three weeks because they skip the appraisal. USDA runs slightly longer due to an additional agency review step.
Should I refinance right now?+
It comes down to your break-even month: closing costs divided by monthly savings. If you'll move before that point, refinancing loses money regardless of how good the new rate looks.
If you're holding a 3% rate from 2020–2022, a rate-and-term refinance almost certainly isn't for you. If you need equity in that situation, a HELOC preserves your rate. See refinance options for the full breakdown.
Can I get a mortgage if I'm self-employed?+
Yes, though conventional underwriting often undercounts what you actually earn because legitimate write-offs suppress your taxable income. Standard programs want two years of returns; when those don't tell the real story, bank statement programs qualify you on 12–24 months of deposits instead.
The detail that matters most: the expense factor a lender applies to your deposits. Some assume a flat 50%; others accept a CPA letter documenting your actual ratio, which can change your qualifying income dramatically.
Do you charge a fee?+
Broker compensation is disclosed in writing on every loan, as required by law, and appears on the Loan Estimate you receive. There are no hidden fees and nothing you learn about at closing. Ask me directly and I'll explain exactly how a specific loan is structured before you commit to anything.
How do I verify you're licensed?+
Look up NMLS 1892952 on the NMLS Consumer Access database — it's free, public, and shows license status and history. You should check this for any mortgage professional you're considering working with, not just me.
Ready to see your real numbers?
Get a free pre-approval and I'll show you what you qualify for across FHA, VA, conventional, and jumbo — with the real monthly cost of each, and an honest recommendation about which one actually fits.
Jonathan Boukarim · Licensed California Mortgage Broker · NMLS 1892952 · (619) 436-55783111 Camino Del Rio N, Suite 905, San Diego, CA 92108
Get Pre-Approved
Real numbers across every program you qualify for — no obligation.