Numbers first
A 20 minute call where we set the price range, the down payment and the payment you actually want to live with.
Buying a home
Jumbo home loans
For Santa Clara County prices above the conforming cap
The short version
Most single family homes in San Jose, Cupertino and Los Gatos sell for more than the conforming limit, which puts the loan in jumbo territory. Jumbo files are underwritten by hand, so the difference between a smooth close and a painful one is how the file is built on day one. I package the income, assets and reserves the way the desk wants to see them before the file is ever submitted.
One loan instead of a first and a second, so there is no piggyback payment to manage
Interest only options on the 7/6 ARM for buyers with lumpy equity income
No mortgage insurance on jumbo loans, even below 20% down on some programs
Pricing improves at 25% down and again at 30%, and I will show you both
What you get on this program
The work that sits behind the rate quote.
A pre approval a listing agent believes
Full credit, income and asset review up front, signed by me with a direct line for the agent to call. Not an automated letter from a portal.
Reserve planning
Jumbo desks want months of payments in reserve after closing. We count retirement accounts and vested equity correctly so you are not selling stock in a hurry.
Appraisal strategy
On homes above $2,000,000 a second appraisal is often required. I order early and give the appraiser the comps your agent gathered.
Rate lock management
Locks from 30 to 60 days with one free float down if the market improves by an eighth before you sign.
How this one runs
The same sequence every time, adapted to the program.
Document intake
A short secure list, usually two pay stubs, two years of W-2s, two months of statements and your equity portal export.
Desk review
The file goes to an underwriter for a credit approval before you write offers, which is what makes a jumbo offer competitive.
Offer support
I speak to the listing agent the same day your offer goes in, most often within the hour.
Close
Appraisal, conditions and signing. Twenty one days is typical on a clean jumbo file.
What moves your pricing
Four levers underwriting looks at on this program, and what each one is worth.
| Factor | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Credit score | 740 and above gets the best jumbo pricing. Below 700 the options narrow quickly. |
| Reserves | Expect six to twelve months of housing payments left after closing, depending on the loan size. |
| Debt to income | Most jumbo desks stop at 43%, a few go to 49.99% with strong reserves. |
| Property type | Condos in San Jose need a warrantable project review. I check the HOA before you write. |
Programs people compare this with
Conforming and high balance
The workhorse loan for most Bay Area buyers
- 3% down for first time buyers
- Fastest underwriting
- PMI drops off automatically
6.125%sample rate, 6.284% APR
RSU and equity income
Vesting schedules counted the way underwriting wants to see them
- RSU, ESPP and bonus income
- Public and pre IPO employers
- Portfolio backed down payments
6.250%sample rate, 6.341% APR
Asset depletion loans
Qualify on portfolio balances rather than paystubs
- Portfolio based qualifying
- Retirement and brokerage accounts
- No employment required
6.750%sample rate, 6.901% APR
Jumbo home loans: the questions I get
Straight answers, including the parts other lenders leave out.
Still stuck on something
Call (408) 555-0124 or book a 20 minute slot. No documents needed for the first conversation.
Anything above the county conforming limit, which for 2026 sits at $1,209,750 as a sample figure in this demo. Above that number the loan is priced and underwritten as a jumbo.
No. There are programs at 10% down to roughly $1.5 million and 15% down above that. Pricing and reserve requirements tighten as the down payment shrinks.
Not always. In several recent quarters jumbo fixed pricing has run below conforming. I quote both every time so you can see the real spread.
Yes, with a sale and a settlement statement, or by borrowing against the portfolio. We plan the sale so it does not land in the middle of underwriting.
Run your own numbers with me
Twenty minutes on jumbo home loans and whether it is really the right tool for your situation.
Sample figures across this site are illustrations, not quotes. Equal Housing Opportunity.