Jumbo Loans in San Diego: The 2026 Loan Limit and How a Jumbo Mortgage Works
A jumbo loan is a mortgage that is larger than the conforming loan limit for your county, and in San Diego County the 2026 limit for a one-unit home is $1,104,000. If the loan you need is above that number, you will need a jumbo loan, which cannot be bought by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so lenders s
Mortgage Rate Buydowns and Discount Points in San Diego: How They Work and When They Pay Off
A mortgage rate buydown means paying extra money at closing, usually in the form of discount points, to get a lower interest rate. One point costs 1% of your loan amount, so on an $800,000 loan, one point is $8,000. Whether it pays off depends on how long you keep the loan, and the break-even math i
Questions to Ask a Mortgage Lender Before You Choose One in San Diego
The best questions to ask a mortgage lender are the ones that make different offers easy to compare: what the interest rate and fees are, whether points are included, how long the rate is locked and what the lender needs from you to close on time. Choosing a lender is as important as choosing the ho
How to Get Preapproved for a Mortgage in San Diego: What Lenders Check and What the Letter Means
Mortgage preapproval in San Diego starts when a lender reviews your income, debts, savings and credit and gives you a written letter that says how much they are willing to lend you, up to a certain amount and based on certain assumptions. The letter is not a final loan approval, but it tells you wha
Downsizing Checklist for San Diego Sellers: How to Sell, Move and Simplify
Downsizing works best when you start with your things and your timeline, not the house: decide what you want to keep, plan how long the sale and move will take, and then sort in small steps. For San Diego sellers, downsizing often means selling a larger home and moving to a smaller house, a condo or
How to Live in Your Home While It Is Listed for Sale in San Diego
Living in your home while it is on the market is possible, and the key is a simple daily routine that keeps the house show-ready in about 15 minutes. Most San Diego sellers do not move out before they list, so they have to work, cook and live while buyers want to tour. This guide gives you a routine
Selling a Home As Is in San Diego: Pros, Cons and What It Does Not Change
Selling a home as is means you are telling buyers you will not make repairs or give credits for the condition of the home, but it does not mean you can skip disclosures or hide known problems. In California, you still share what you know about the property. Buyers can still inspect, and many will as
Staging Your Home on a Budget: What Buyers Notice Most in San Diego
Staging on a budget starts with three free or low-cost steps: declutter, clean deeply and light every room, and then focus on the living room, primary bedroom and kitchen, because those are the rooms buyers say matter most. In a 2025 national survey of REALTORS® that I follow, those three rooms rank
Which Updates Are Worth Doing Before You Sell Your San Diego Home?
The updates most worth doing before you sell are usually the small, low-cost ones: fresh paint, a better front door and fixing what is visibly worn. Big remodels are a harder call, because you may not get the money back. In a 2025 national remodeling report that I follow, 50% of REALTORS® recommende