If you're interested in a conventional mortgage, the FHFA maintains a database of county-specific conforming loan limits. Again, conforming loan limits are based on home prices throughout the United States. From 2024 to 2025, the FHFA bumped up the baseline conforming loan limit for a single-family home by 5.2%.
The conforming loan limit determines the maximum a homebuyer can borrow and still qualify for a conventional loan. The baseline conforming loan limit in 2025 for single-family dwellings is $806,500 for most of the United States, but it depends on where you live.
2025 FHA County Loan Limits in California
The FHA's 2025 current floor is $524,225 and the ceiling is $1,209,750. FHA High Balance Jumbo loan limit – California FHA loan amounts in high-cost counties between $524,225 and $1,209,750 are referred to FHA jumbo loans or FHA high balance loans.
A lot of first-time homebuyers think they need a 20% down payment to qualify for a conventional loan. That's simply not true. Conventional loan down payment requirements are as low as 3%. That's only $9,000 down for a $300,000 home, or $6,000 down for a $200,000 home.
The main disadvantage of a conventional loan is the requirement for a down payment, which can be quite large depending on the loan amount and the borrower's financial situation. Additionally, borrowers need to show that they have assets that can be used to pay off the loan as well as reserves in case of a hardship.
While conventional loans allow you to make a slightly smaller down payment of 3%, you must have a credit score of at least 620 to qualify. When you're deciding between a conventional loan versus an FHA loan, it's important to consider the cost of mortgage insurance.
Not only are conforming loans offered by more lenders and tend to allow for lower interest rates, but avoiding a jumbo loan means less money you'll have to pay back over time — which is always a good thing for the health of your personal finances.
You are permitted to have as many loans as you want simultaneously. To qualify for a conventional loan for a second home or investment property, you can have up to 9 other financed properties. But you must meet the loan program and lender criteria, which become more stringent with each subsequent loan.
For 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) raised the maximum conforming loan limit for a single-family property to $806,500 from $766,550 (in 2024). In certain high-cost areas, the ceiling for conforming mortgage limits is 150% of that limit, or $1,209,750 for 2025.
For a conventional cash-out refinance, you can take out a new loan for up to 80% of the value of your home. Lenders refer to this percentage as your “loan-to-value ratio” or LTV.
The current Bank of America, N.A. prime rate is 7.50% (rate effective as of December 19, 2024).
Loan limits for conventional loans in 2024
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have placed limits on how large a conventional mortgage can be. For most counties in the U.S. in 2024, the upper price limit is $766,550, though this can be as high as $1,149,825 in certain high-cost areas.
Bigger down payment
While it's possible to find jumbo loan lenders that will accept a 10% down payment, most will require you to put down at least 20%. That's a lot more than you'll need for a conforming loan, which usually only requires a down payment between 3% to 5% of the home's purchase price.
The National Association of Home Builders expects the 30-year mortgage rate to decrease to around 6.5% by the end of 2024 and fall below 6% by the end of 2025, according to the group's latest outlook.
Conventional loan limits rise to $806,500
Starting January 1, 2025, new conforming loan limits will increase to $806,500 in most of the U.S.—up from $766,550 in 2024. The limit in high-cost areas will rise from $1,149,825 to $1,209,750.
In most situations, you can refinance a conventional loan immediately. However, you might have to wait six months before refinancing with the same lender. Check with your lender for more information about how long you'll have to wait for a conventional loan refinance.
While you can qualify for a conforming conventional mortgage with a down payment of 5% or even 3%, you can expect a lender to want at least 20% down with a jumbo loan. Another difference between conforming and non-conforming conventional home loans is the interest rate.
Although personal gifts are accepted, some mortgage programs also limit the amount that can be used toward the down payment, closing costs, and other fees. If you use a gift with a conventional loan, the donor can gift 100% of your down payment, and in most cases, you don't have to contribute any of your own funds.
A balloon mortgage is a home loan with an initial period of low or interest-only payments. The borrower pays off the balance in full at the end of the term. A balloon mortgage is usually short-term, often five to seven years.
A bridge loan allows the buyer to take equity out of the current home and use it as a down payment on the new residence, with the expectation that the current home will close within a short time frame and the bridge loan will be repaid.
Conventional mortgage loans may be “one-of-the-many” loan options for real estate investors but not the most suitable one. The reason being: conventional loans take a long time to process and generally require the borrower to have a great credit score.
Conventional loans often require a higher down payment compared to FHA loans. In 2024, borrowers typically need to put down at least 20% of the purchase price, depending on the lender's requirements and the borrower's financial profile, including the loan amount and type of home loan they are applying for.