2026 Loan Limits in Silicon Valley and San Francisco: Conforming, FHA, VA and Jumbo

In most of the country, a single-family loan above $832,750 is a jumbo in 2026. In Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties the line sits much higher, because federal regulators treat all three as high-cost areas. Here’s where the 2026 limits fall, what changes above them, and the financing rules that come up most in Silicon Valley offers.

2026 conforming loan limits

The Federal Housing Finance Agency puts all three counties at the 2026 high-cost ceiling:

• One unit: $1,249,125
• Two units: $1,599,375
• Three units: $1,933,200
• Four units: $2,402,625

A one-unit loan between $832,750, the national baseline, and $1,249,125 can still be a conforming loan here, sometimes called a high-balance or conforming jumbo. FHFA announced the 2026 limits on November 25, 2025, so look for 2027’s figures around late November.

FHA and VA

• FHA: HUD’s 2026 ceiling for a one-unit home is the same $1,249,125.
• VA: Borrowers with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, as long as they qualify and the appraisal supports the price. If part of the entitlement is in use, the county limit factors into what’s left.

Above the limit: jumbo loans

A loan above the county’s conforming limit is a non-conforming jumbo. There’s no single set of jumbo rules; each lender sets its own, and they usually ask for strong credit and a larger down payment. With a $1,249,125 limit, a buyer putting 20% down on a home above about $1.56 million is likely in jumbo territory.

Rules that come up in offers

• Points. One discount point costs 1% of the loan amount. The IRS lets buyers deduct points on a main-home purchase in the year paid if a list of conditions is met.
• Temporary buydowns. On Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, you still qualify at the full note rate. A buydown can lower the rate by no more than 3 percentage points and last no more than 3 years.
• Seller credits. Fannie Mae caps what a seller or other interested party can contribute on a primary or second home: 3% of the price when the loan is more than 90% of the value, 6% from 75% to 90%, and 9% at 75% or less.
• Mortgage insurance. With less than 20% down on a conventional loan, you can ask to cancel private mortgage insurance when the balance is scheduled to reach 80% of the original value, and it ends automatically at 78% if you’re current.

Down payment help: check the status first

Several programs were closed or full as of mid-October 2026. CalHFA’s Dream For All closed its 2026 application window on March 16, 2026. Santa Clara County’s Empower Homebuyers SCC said it was fully subscribed. San Francisco’s Downpayment Assistance Loan Program lends up to $500,000 but hadn’t posted a 2026 round. Check each program’s page before you count on it.

Run your numbers

Our Mortgage Lab compares points, buydowns, ARMs and jumbo scenarios, and the calculators estimate payments and what you can afford. A lender’s pre-approval is the real number.

Getting ready to buy? Call the Boyenga Team at (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.