San Diego Home Loans
San Diego blends a major military presence, a booming biotech economy, and some of the most beautiful coastline in the country — and each shapes how people finance homes here. A sailor uses a VA loan near Coronado, an Illumina scientist needs a lender who counts RSUs, a first-time buyer finds a North Park bungalow under the conforming limit. With San Diego County’s 2026 conforming limit at $1,104,000, conventional and FHA financing reach well into the local market, and where they stop, my jumbo network takes over. I finance across San Diego with 240+ wholesale lenders. NMLS #233747.
San Diego at a Glance
Median ~$968K
2026 median; conforming/FHA limit $1,104,000, jumbo above
A Military City
Navy, Marines, Coast Guard — Camp Pendleton, Coronado, Naval Base San Diego, Miramar; a huge VA market
Biotech & Defense
Illumina, Thermo Fisher, and defense contractors drive high-paying, complex-income jobs
Coastal & Neighborhoods
Pacific Beach, North Park, and Scripps Ranch to La Jolla and Del Mar luxury
$1,104,000 Conforming Limit
San Diego County high-cost, though below LA and OC
$832,750 Best Pricing
Loans up to the baseline get the sharpest conventional pricing
San Diego County conforming limit: $1,104,000 • FHA: $1,104,000 • best pricing under $832,750 • pulled live from the loan-limits module
Today’s Purchase Mortgage Rates
Live pricing from the same daily rate feed shown on our Today’s Rates page. These update automatically each day.
Conventional 30-Year Fixed
Conventional – Primary Residence
FHA 30-Year Fixed
FHA – Primary Residence
VA 30-Year Fixed
VA – Primary Residence
Rate Assumptions
Purchase, 30-yr fixed, $300K Loan, $400K Value, Credit 759
APR & Disclosures
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) shown reflects the cost of credit over the loan term, including applicable fees, and is based on the assumptions above. Your actual rate and APR depend on your credit profile, loan amount, property, occupancy, and other factors. For information purposes only and does not constitute a loan approval or commitment to lend. Rates are subject to change without notice.
Monthly Payment Calculator
Calculate your estimated monthly mortgage payment including taxes and insurance
San Diego’s property tax runs roughly 1.1–1.25% under Prop 13; the calculator defaults to a CA-appropriate rate. Newer developments may carry additional Mello-Roos or HOA assessments, which I build into your real all-in payment.
San Diego’s conforming limit, and the three tiers
San Diego County is a high-cost area, but its 2026 conforming limit ($1,104,000) sits below LA and Orange County’s ($1,249,125), so it’s worth understanding the three tiers: loans up to $832,750 get the best conventional pricing; loans from $832,750 to $1,104,000 are “high-balance” conforming (still conventional, slightly different pricing, as little as 5% down); and loans above $1,104,000 are jumbo. I help you structure around these thresholds — sometimes a slightly larger down payment to stay under a limit meaningfully lowers your rate. Conventional financing works in most neighborhoods, from Pacific Beach to Scripps Ranch, and with 240+ lenders competing I find rates retail banks can’t match.
San Diego Neighborhoods & Price Ranges
From the oceanfront estates of La Jolla to the accessible entry points of East County, San Diego spans a remarkable range. Here are the areas buyers ask about most.
La Jolla
$2M–$10M+
The oceanfront jewel — village, shores, and bluff-top estates; almost entirely jumbo territory, calling for lenders fluent in coastal valuations and complex income.
Coronado
$2M–$8M+
Island living beside Naval Base Coronado — a favorite for retiring flag officers and senior NCOs; jumbo-VA and pension-plus-investment income structuring shine here.
Del Mar & Rancho Santa Fe
$2.5M–$10M+
North County coast and inland luxury — racetrack-town charm and gated estates; jumbo with foreign-national and asset-based options.
Pacific Beach & North Park
$850K–$1.4M
Walkable, energetic, and popular with first-time and self-employed buyers; conventional and FHA both work, with condo lending I can place.
Scripps Ranch & Mira Mesa
$1M–$1.6M
Family-friendly, top-school suburbs near the biotech corridor and Miramar; conventional and high-balance conforming cover most of the market.
East County & South Bay
$650K–$950K
The most accessible entry — La Mesa, El Cajon, Chula Vista; classic FHA and first-time-buyer territory with down-payment assistance in play.
VA loans in San Diego — a military city
San Diego is one of the largest military communities in the country — Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard — with Camp Pendleton, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base San Diego, and MCAS Miramar. That makes VA the cornerstone loan here: zero down, no PMI, no loan limit with full entitlement, and BAH counted as income. FHA also works alongside VA for military spouses and certain situations. Whether you’re active-duty near Pendleton, a retiring flag officer or senior NCO wanting a forever home in Coronado (my jumbo programs count military pension and investment income), or a veteran using your benefit for the first time, I handle it — including PCS-timed remote closings.
Conventional & FHA for first-timers and the gig economy
San Diego’s economy runs on more than the military — biotech (Illumina, Thermo Fisher), defense, tourism, and a large entrepreneurial and gig workforce. My conventional toolkit includes bank-statement loans, 1099 programs, and asset-depletion for SD’s self-employed, plus lender-paid-MI options (one San Diego buyer got the same rate at 10% down as 20% down). FHA opens first-home doors from the coast to East County on 3.5% down, with the high FHA limit covering a large share of the market and down-payment assistance available for eligible buyers. Downtown and beach-area condos, warrantable and non-warrantable, are financeable, and I know the condo lenders.
Jumbo loans — La Jolla, Del Mar & Coronado
Above $1,104,000, San Diego’s luxury coast runs on jumbo financing. La Jolla and Del Mar oceanfront, Coronado island, and Rancho Santa Fe demand lenders who understand coastal property values and complex income. My jumbo network counts biotech stock options, RSUs, and variable bonuses correctly (a $2.8M La Jolla purchase for two Illumina executives, done), handles military pension plus investment income for Coronado retirees, offers 10% down on jumbo to ~$2M for strong borrowers, reaches ultra-high loan sizes, and includes foreign-national, ITIN, and diplomatic-visa programs.
Mortgage Programs Available in San Diego
VA
Zero down, no PMI, no loan limit with full entitlement, and BAH counted as income — the cornerstone loan in a Navy and Marine Corps city.
Conventional
3% down under $832,750, 5% on high-balance to $1,104,000; PMI drops at 20% equity, and lender-paid-MI options can match a 20%-down rate.
FHA
3.5% down, 580+ credit, flexible DTI. The $1,104,000 FHA limit covers a large share of the market, and down-payment assistance can pair with it.
Jumbo
For La Jolla, Del Mar, and Coronado above the conforming limit — 10% down to ~$2M for strong borrowers, ultra-high loan sizes, and biotech RSU income counted correctly.
Bank-Statement
For San Diego’s self-employed, 1099, and entrepreneur buyers — qualify on deposits rather than tax returns.
DSCR / Investment
Qualify a rental on its own income, not your tax returns, with no cap on properties — strong across the coast and the biotech corridor.
San Diego Mortgage FAQ
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in San Diego?+
Is San Diego a good place to use a VA loan?+
Can I qualify if I’m self-employed or work in biotech with stock compensation?+
How much do I need to buy a home in San Diego?+
Do I need a jumbo loan in La Jolla or Coronado?+
Can military spouses or families use FHA alongside VA?+
Can I buy a condo in downtown San Diego or the beach areas?+
Do you finance homes across all of San Diego?+
Emmett Clark — NMLS #233747
I shop 240+ wholesale lenders across San Diego County and give you the real all-in number — mortgage, property tax, insurance, and any Mello-Roos or HOA — before you write an offer. A VA purchase near Coronado, a biotech buyer with RSUs, a first home under the limit, or a La Jolla jumbo: it starts with a quick conversation.
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Buying in San Diego?
Tell me your situation — a VA purchase near Coronado or Pendleton, a biotech buyer with RSUs, a first home under the limit, or a La Jolla jumbo — and I’ll tell you which loan fits and get you pre-approved. Quick response, no obligation.
Get Your Home Loan Quote
Connect with Emmett directly. Quick response, personalized guidance for your San Diego home purchase.
Why Contact Emmett?
- ✓ Local San Diego market expertise
- ✓ Access to 240+ wholesale lenders
- ✓ Same-day pre-qualification available
- ✓ No obligation, free consultation