A loan limit is the largest mortgage amount allowed under a particular set of rules. A conforming loan follows the rules for loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy from lenders. FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration and have their own limits. Your lender still needs to check what you can afford and whether the home qualifies.
Early 2027 lender limits are already here.
Some lenders have moved ahead of FHFA’s annual announcement. Their published limits differ, so there is no single early figure that applies to every lender or county. These examples were checked on October 23, 2026. UWM and Pennymac link to their own announcements; Rocket links to HousingWire’s reporting of its announcement.
| Published lender example | Early amount | Effective date & source |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket Mortgage / Rocket Pro | $845,000 | September 10, 2026 · Effective immediately for one-unit homes in the lower 48 states, as reported by HousingWire |
| United Wholesale Mortgage | $847,440 | September 16, 2026 · UWM announcement |
| Pennymac | $850,000 | New locks on or after September 16, 2026 · Non-delegated announcement 26-92 |
UWM describes its amounts as estimated 2027 limits. Pennymac’s cited bulletin covers conventional loans and leaves government limits unchanged; it also sets rules for the home’s valuation and the computer-assisted loan review. The offers apply through particular lending channels. We need to check which are available through LMB for your loan.
What does this mean for a Bay Area purchase?
These early amounts are starting limits for particular lenders. Some counties allow larger conforming loans, often called high-balance loans. The early figures do not automatically raise those county limits. Ask which limit applies to your home, the number of units and when you plan to close. An early conventional offer does not establish new FHA limits.
Talk with Mike or Diana about the home you have in mind. Ask which options we can offer, what the lender needs and what happens if the final official limit is different.
Ask about early-limit options for your property →Have Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s 2027 limits been announced?
FHFA sets their conforming loan limits. Its official dataset page currently lists 2026 as the latest year. A lender’s advance offering or projected 2027 amount is separate from an official FHFA limit. Ask for that lender’s written terms and effective dates before relying on an early offer.
Has FHA published its 2027 limits?
We found no 2027 forward-mortgage limit announcement in HUD’s FHA announcements or annual data files. The latest verified release is Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, issued December 11, 2025, for 2026 limits. A 2027 announcement about another FHA policy does not establish new loan limits.
What are the current published national limits?
The largest limit shown applies to certain higher-cost areas in the lower 48 states. Your county may have a lower limit. Some other U.S. areas use different rules. Sources: FHFA’s November 25, 2025 release and HUD’s 2026 forward-mortgage letter.
2026 Bay Area limits by county.
For a one-unit property in Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Lafayette or Orinda, use the Contra Costa County row. These numbers limit the loan amount, not the price of the home. They do not tell you how much you personally qualify to borrow.
| County | Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac | FHA forward mortgage |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Contra Costa | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Marin | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Napa | $1,017,750 | $1,017,750 |
| San Francisco | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| San Mateo | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Santa Clara | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Solano | $832,750 | $685,400 |
| Sonoma | $897,000 | $897,000 |
County sources: FHFA’s 2026 county table (PDF) and HUD’s 2026 FHA forward-limit data. FHA and conforming limits are independently checked; matching amounts do not mean the programs share eligibility or insurance requirements.
Which year and property details matter?
The FHFA table applies to loans Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac buy in 2026. Your application date alone does not decide which limit applies. FHA uses the date it assigns the loan’s case number (a tracking number) to determine when these limits apply. The cited 2026 rule starts January 1, 2026, unless later guidance changes it. Your loan officer should confirm the applicable timing, particularly around year-end.
Two-, three- and four-unit properties have different limits. Use the official county tables or HUD’s mortgage-limit lookup with the correct year, program and unit count. These FHA figures are for regular purchase or refinance mortgages. Reverse mortgages have separate limits.
Does a loan within the limit automatically qualify?
No. The lender still checks your income, credit, down payment and the home. It also looks at whether you plan to live there or rent it out. Ask how baseline conforming, high-balance conforming and jumbo options differ for your amount and county.
Then compare the payment structure: read our guides to 3-2-1, 2-1 and 1-1 temporary buydowns and adjustable-rate mortgages.