Who can help me with a mortgage, HELOC, or reverse mortgage in California?

What loans can I get in California?

• Buy a home: conventional, FHA, VA, and Non-QM for self-employed buyers
• Refinance, including cash-out
• HELOC and home equity: get cash and keep your low first-mortgage rate
• Reverse mortgages: FHA-insured HECMs, jumbo reverse mortgages for high-value homes, and reverse mortgage seconds
• Debt consolidation with home equity

What's different about a mortgage in California?

• Higher home values. Many counties have higher loan limits, and jumbo options matter more here. For retirees with high-value homes, a jumbo (proprietary) reverse mortgage can unlock more than a HECM.
• Property taxes under Prop 13: roughly 1% of your purchase price plus local assessments, and your assessed value generally rises no more than 2% a year.
• Mello-Roos and special assessments are common in newer communities (including here in south Orange County). They're part of your tax bill, so we build them into your payment from day one.
• Transfer taxes: counties charge a documentary transfer tax, and some cities add their own. Who pays is part of the purchase negotiation.
• Escrow and title companies handle closings, and in Southern California the escrow company usually runs the process.
• Homeowners insurance can take longer to line up in wildfire-prone areas. Start early, and we'll build the real premium into your numbers.

Where in California do we help?

Everywhere in the state. We're based in Ladera Ranch in Orange County and work with clients across Southern California, the Inland Empire, San Diego, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Central Valley, by phone, video, and in person when you're nearby.

Is there down payment help in California?

Yes. CalHFA and many cities and counties offer assistance. See down payment assistance in CA, TX, FL, and CO, and I'll tell you which programs fit your situation and what they really cost.

Example scenario (illustrative)

A retired couple in Mission Viejo owns a home worth about $1.4 million, free and clear, above FHA's HECM limit. A jumbo reverse mortgage gives them a larger line of credit than a HECM could, with no monthly mortgage payment. They keep paying their taxes and insurance, stay in the home they love, and keep a cushion for health care down the road.

Our take

California is home. I know what Mello-Roos, fire insurance, and a $1 million starter home mean for your budget, and I'll show you every number, including our own costs, before you decide.