Jumbo & Conventional Loans in Irvine and Orange County

Conforming, high-balance or jumbo?

Each year the Federal Housing Finance Agency sets the largest loan Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy. For 2026 the national baseline for a one-unit home is $832,750, and high-cost counties such as Orange County use a higher limit of $1,249,125.

• Conforming: up to $832,750 (one unit).
• High-balance conforming: above $832,750 and up to $1,249,125 in Orange County — still a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan, with slightly different pricing.
• Jumbo: above $1,249,125 in Orange County. Jumbo loans are funded by banks and private investors, each with its own guidelines.

Limits shown are 2026 one-unit limits; 2–4 unit properties have higher limits. Source: FHFA.

What jumbo lenders look for

• Credit: strong credit history; minimum scores vary by lender and loan size.
• Down payment or equity: generally more than a conforming loan.
• Reserves: several months of payments in savings after closing, more for larger loans.
• Income: full documentation on most jumbo loans; non-QM jumbo programs can use bank statements or assets.
• Appraisal: very large loans sometimes require a second appraisal.

Ways to structure a larger purchase

• Compare a single jumbo loan with a high-balance first mortgage plus a second mortgage.
• Choose between fixed-rate and adjustable-rate jumbo loans depending on how long you expect to keep the loan.
• Interest-only payment options are available on some jumbo programs.
• Self-employed buyers can use bank statement or asset-based jumbo programs.

Jumbo pricing changes often and differs widely by lender — at times jumbo rates are close to, or even below, conforming rates. Shopping many lenders at once is where a broker adds value.

Conventional loans with full documentation

For W-2 employees and borrowers with straightforward tax returns, conventional loans usually offer the best pricing. We arrange conforming and high-balance loans for primary homes, second homes and investment properties, for purchases, rate-and-term refinances and cash-out refinances. Conventional loans with smaller down payments usually include private mortgage insurance, which can be removed later as you build equity.

How Treasure Mortgage helps

From our office in Irvine we compare more than 100 wholesale lenders, issue pre-approvals you can shop with in competitive Orange County neighborhoods, and walk you through every step in English or Mandarin. We also help borrowers in Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley, the Bay Area and across California.