CaliHomeowner Refinance Guides, Calculators and Research
Updated October 2026
- CaliHomeowner 2026 California Mortgage, High-Balance & HELOC Options
- 2026 California Conforming and FHA Loan Limits by County ($832,750 to $1,249,125)
- California Proposition 13 Property Tax Guide: 1% Base Rate and 2% Assessment Cap
- California Proposition 19 Guide: Transferring Your Prop 13 Tax Base at 55+ or After Wildfire
- Understanding California Supplemental Property Tax Bills in Year One
- CalHFA MyHome Assistance and First-Time Buyer Mortgage Programs in California
- California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan: Eligibility and Repayment Math
- High-Balance Conforming Loans in Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties
- California Jumbo Mortgages: Post-Close Reserve Tiers, RSU Income and Appraisals
- How California Mello-Roos Special Taxes Affect Your Mortgage DTI and Escrow Impound
- Financing a California Home With FAIR Plan and DIC Wildfire Insurance Coverage
- Financing a California ADU Under SB 9 With a HELOC or Renovation Mortgage
- California Anti-Deficiency Rules (CCP 580b and 580d) for Purchase and Refinance Loans
- California Cash-Out Refinance Guide: Tapping Coastal and Inland Appreciation
- California HELOC Guide: Combined LTV Caps on High-Value Primary Residences
- California Condo, Townhome and San Francisco TIC Financing and HOA Reserve Rules
- California Earthquake Authority (CEA) Policies, Deductibles and Mortgage Rules
- California VA Home Loans: Full Entitlement Buying Power in SoCal and the Bay Area
- Buying a 2-to-4 Unit Property in California With an FHA or Conventional Loan
- Southern and Northern California Escrow and Title Fee Splits and Cash to Close
- CaliHomeowner Mortgage Planning
- CaliHomeowner Mortgage Calculators
- Monthly Mortgage Payment Calculator
- Home Equity & HELOC Calculator
- Mortgage Refinance Savings Calculator
- Closing Cost Estimator
- Mortgage Amortization Schedule Calculator
- ARM vs. Fixed-Rate Mortgage Calculator
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Loan Program Comparison: 2026 Benchmarks
CaliHomeowner Refinance Guides, Calculators and Research — Compare remaining-term interest and closing costs with the new term; divide costs by positive monthly savings for a simple break-even, and account for financed fees.
Historical 2025 one-unit comparison: conforming $806,500; FHA floor $524,225. County and unit-count limits can differ.
| Loan program | Down payment / equity | 2026 one-unit baseline | Costs and page-specific comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Equity / Refinance | Equity and underwriting dependent | Property and lender dependent | Compare closing costs, term and break-even |
| Conventional | 3%–5% subject to eligibility | $832,750 | PMI generally below 20% down |
| FHA | 3.5% at 580+; 10% at 500–579 | $541,287 floor | 1.75% upfront MIP; 0.55% annual for >95% LTV, base loan ≤$726,200, term >15 years |
| VA | 0% for eligible borrowers | No VA limit with full entitlement | No monthly PMI; funding fee unless exempt |
| USDA | 0% for eligible borrowers | Income, address and repayment eligibility | Guarantee and annual fees; confirm current schedule |
| Jumbo | Lender-specific cash and reserves | Above applicable conforming limit | Lender-specific pricing and insurance |
Sources: FHFA limits; HUD FHA limits.
Editorial Methodology & Primary Sources
Verification date: Not recorded; check the primary source and lender timestamp before relying on an estimate.
Rate comparisons use participating lender feeds, not a whole-market survey or guaranteed offers. Freddie Mac PMMS is a market benchmark, not a personalized quote. Calculator models rely on published regulatory formulas and disclosed assumptions rather than fabricated first-person loan testing.
Monthly principal and interest use the amortization formula P × r / (1 − (1 + r)−n), where r is the monthly note rate and n is the number of payments; at zero interest use P / n. PITI adds monthly property taxes and homeowners insurance; PMI is separate. APR includes applicable finance charges under Regulation Z and is not the note rate used for payments. Compare lender Loan Estimates for actual APR and fees.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — Loan Estimates, APR and borrower disclosures; Regulation Z.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD / FHA) — FHA program guidance.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — VA loan eligibility and benefits.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — published rate benchmarks.
- U.S. Census state tax collections — state property tax benchmarks; confirm parcel-specific assessments and exemptions with the state revenue department and local assessor.
The payment snapshot uses illustrative annual taxes of 1% of home price, $1,200 insurance and 0.5% PMI below 20% down, not verified local quotes. Other calculators disclose their inputs and assumptions. Published guidance and lender feeds may change independently; confirm current program rules, taxes and offers before a decision.