Home Loans in San Diego County
Start My San Diego Pre-Approval
San Diego County is family for me. My sister lives there, and my brother-in-law and nephew have spent their careers with San Diego Gas & Electric, so I have made the drive down the 5 more times than I can count. I know the difference between a Tuesday morning in Oceanside and a Saturday in La Jolla, and I know what the housing prices do to a family budget in between.
What Financing Looks Like in San Diego County
San Diego is a high-cost county, which means the conforming loan limit here is among the highest in the country. That single fact changes the math for a lot of buyers: a loan that would be a jumbo in the Central Valley is often a standard conforming loan here, with easier guidelines and better pricing. When the price climbs past that line, we shop the jumbo across 25+ lenders, because jumbo guidelines vary more from lender to lender than any other product.
- Military and veteran families. With Camp Pendleton, Naval Base San Diego, and Miramar, VA loans are a daily part of our work here: zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and no VA loan limit with full entitlement.
- Coastal and North County buyers. Jumbo and high-balance conforming loans for Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, and La Jolla, including bank-statement options for self-employed buyers.
- Inland and South Bay buyers. FHA, conventional 3% down, and CalHFA assistance for Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos, and Santee, where a first home is still within reach.
- Condo buyers. A large share of San Diego housing is condos, and the HOA and project review is where deals get stuck. We check project eligibility before you write the offer.
How We Work With You
You will never be handed off to a call center. I review your application myself, one file goes out to our lender network, and you get the options side by side with the trade-offs explained in plain English. Most purchases close in under 30 days, and your agent gets a weekly update so nobody is guessing.
San Diego Questions We Hear Every Week
Can a VA buyer compete against cash offers here?
Yes, with the right preparation. A full underwriting pre-approval, a short appraisal contingency, and a phone call from me to the listing agent explaining how a VA closing actually goes makes a real difference.
How much do I need down on a $1 million home?
It depends on the loan type. Conventional high-balance loans can go as low as 5% down under the county limit; jumbo programs typically start at 10% and price best at 20%. We show you both.
Do you handle investment properties in San Diego?
Yes. DSCR loans qualify on the rental income, and we finance two- to four-unit properties for owner-occupants who want to house-hack.
Start Here: 15-Minute Application
Let’s Talk About San Diego County
Tell me the town, the price range, and what you are trying to do, and I will tell you which program fits and what the payment really looks like. Call (209) 522-7100, send a note, or start the 15-minute application and I will call you after I review it. You can also compare every option on our California loan programs page, or see the other areas we serve.
Steve McNeal, President and Loan Officer, First Capital Mortgage Inc. · NMLS #256426 · CA DRE #01017974. Offices in Modesto and Indio, serving all of California.