When the loan amount goes above the conforming limit, you're in Jumbo territory. Stricter underwriting, larger reserves, and a more deliberate process — but for the right buyer on the right property, Jumbo financing is exactly what closes the deal. We structure these for primary residences, second homes, and investment properties.
Conforming loans are mortgages eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Each year, the FHFA sets the maximum loan amount that qualifies as conforming — in 2026 the baseline is around $806,500 for a single-family home in most U.S. counties, and higher in designated high-cost areas. Once your loan amount exceeds that ceiling, it's a Jumbo loan.
Jumbo loans aren't government-backed and aren't sold to Fannie or Freddie. Lenders either hold them on their own balance sheet or sell them into private investor markets. That changes the underwriting math: Jumbos require higher credit, larger down payments, more reserves, and lower DTI than the conforming version of the same loan. For the right borrower, that extra rigor is the trade for accessing higher loan amounts.
Jumbo isn't only about luxury homes. In Las Vegas, plenty of regular family homes in nicer neighborhoods now sit above the local conforming limit just because of price appreciation. If you're buying above ~$800k, we'll likely be running Jumbo numbers either as the primary path or as a comparison to a high-balance conforming option.
Numbers are illustrative only and assume an example interest rate; they're not a quote. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA dues (if any) are additional. Real numbers depend on your full financial profile, the specific Jumbo product, and the rate at the moment we lock. Get a real quote and we'll show you exactly what your scenario looks like.
Conforming loans are mortgages that meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's purchase criteria, including the maximum loan amount set by the FHFA each year. In 2026, that baseline is around $806,500 for a single-family home in most counties, and higher in high-cost areas (up to about $1,210,000 in some markets).
Jumbo loans are mortgages that exceed those limits. Because Fannie and Freddie won't buy them, Jumbos are held on the lender's balance sheet or sold into private investor markets — which is why underwriting is more rigorous.
Most Jumbo programs accept 10% minimum down, with 20% being the standard for best pricing. Some specialty Jumbo programs go as low as 5% for very strong borrowers (740+ credit, large reserves, low DTI), but you'll pay a price premium and likely face mortgage insurance until you cross 20% equity. The math on a Jumbo with 5% down vs. 20% down is worth running side by side — we'll do that for you.
Most Jumbo lenders set a 700 floor, with the best pricing tiers requiring 740+ and the very best rates often at 760+. Below 700 is possible with select lenders but you'll generally need 25%+ down and 12+ months of reserves to compensate, plus the rate will be priced accordingly. We have access to multiple Jumbo investors with different overlays, so we shop the market when your file is on the borderline.
Surprisingly, not always. Jumbo rates can be higher, the same as, or even lower than conforming rates depending on the current investor appetite for Jumbo paper. When private investor demand is strong, Jumbo rates have historically beaten conforming. When demand is weaker, they sit at a premium. We shop multiple Jumbo investors on every file because the spreads can be meaningful.
Yes. Jumbo programs cover primary residences, second homes, and investment properties. Each has different down payment, reserve, and rate requirements — primary residence is the cheapest, second home in the middle, investment property the most expensive. For investment Jumbos in particular, we often run side-by-side quotes against DSCR options, since DSCR can sometimes price competitively for the right investor profile.
For most standard Jumbos, 6 months of reserves is the minimum and 12 months is the comfort zone. Reserves are total monthly housing payment (PITI) sitting in liquid form — checking, savings, money market, brokerage accounts. Retirement accounts (401k, IRA) typically count at 60–70% of vested balance. The larger the loan and the lower the down payment, the more reserves the underwriter wants.
Plan on 30 to 45 days from contract to close, sometimes a bit longer on properties above $1.5M that require two appraisals. Conforming can sometimes close in 25 days; Jumbo's a bit slower because the underwriter is reviewing more documentation. We'll tell you upfront what timeline to write into your offer so you don't promise a 21-day close that the program can't support.
Send us the property and your basic numbers. We'll shop multiple Jumbo investors and reach out within one business day with the structures that fit your scenario.
Tell us the property and your situation. We'll shop multiple Jumbo investors for the best fit.
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If your loan amount falls under the conforming limit, or you're considering an investment angle, here are other options.