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Straight answers on buying, qualifying and choosing a loan in San Diego County.

Featured

A large modern home of glass, cedar and stone glowing at dusk behind a long reflecting pool and planted terraced garden.
Self-employedQ&A7 min read

Why your lender asks about large deposits

Fannie Mae's 50% large-deposit rule, when a purchase needs a paper trail, what a gift letter must say, and how self-employed buyers can plan ahead.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer

Popular

  1. BuyingQ&A8 min read

    Seller-⁠paid 2-⁠1 buydown: what it changes and what it doesn't

    People packing moving boxes in a bright living room with windows and a couch.
  2. QualifyingHow-to11 min read

    Tax season mortgage papers: which year the lender reads

    A brick ranch home with a small porch and beds of hydrangea and lavender in warm evening light.
  3. San DiegoLocal guide10 min read

    Closing costs in San Diego County: who usually pays what

    Two people stand on a driveway viewing residential homes in daylight.
Type
Comparison (2)How-to (3)Q&A (5)Options (2)Program guide (2)Story (2)Local guide (2)Market update (2)
Clear
Two people sit at a table in a warmly lit room during an evening conversation.
Loan optionsHow-to11 min read

Removing PMI from a conventional loan: a step checklist

A five-step checklist for dropping PMI on a conventional loan: find your CFPB 80% and 78% marks, ask in writing, weigh an appraisal and confirm it stopped.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
A cream cottage with an open navy door and boxes visible inside, a gravel path and lawn.
Loan optionsOptions10 min read

4 CalHFA loan options for self-⁠employed first-⁠time buyers in California

Four CalHFA options compared for self-employed first-time buyers in California: who qualifies for each, what each costs later, and which one fits your income.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Two people view a multi-story condo building with landscaped grounds in bright daylight.
BuyingComparison10 min read

Condo vs townhome: how HOA dues change what you can borrow

How HOA dues shrink your buying power, a condo vs townhome table, and how self-employed California buyers can compare total payments before making an offer.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
A shingled craftsman house with a stone-pier porch and swing at evening before layered ridges.
Self-employedQ&A6 min read

Do lenders re-⁠check self-⁠employed income before closing?

Lenders re-check your job or business before closing. What self-employed buyers in escrow should hold steady, what can stop a loan, and who to ask first.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Multiple people tour an empty home interior with bright sunlight from glass doors and windows.
Loan optionsProgram guide7 min read

CalHFA MyHome San Diego: who qualifies, what it costs

How CalHFA MyHome works for San Diego first-time buyers: how much it covers, the $259,000 county income limit, repayment, and options if you're self-⁠employed.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Stacked cardboard moving boxes with a blanket on a driveway in bright sunlight.
Self-employedStory8 min read

Divorced and self-⁠employed: what a lender reads before you buy

One San Diego file from decree to underwriting: what the lender read first, when support counted as income, and what self-employed buyers should ask.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
A shingled home with a garage and a small detached workshop on a lawn at golden hour.
QualifyingQ&A6 min read

Student loans in your DTI: each loan type has its own rule

FHA, VA, conventional and USDA loans can count an income-driven student loan payment differently. See what goes into DTI and what to ask each lender.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Single-story beige house with tile roof and landscaped front yard in bright daylight.
San DiegoMarket update9 min read

San Diego's 2026 conforming limit: size the loan, not the house

In California, San Diego County's 2026 one-unit conforming limit is $1,104,000. How that loan-size line sorts conforming, jumbo, government-backed and bank-statement options for self-employed buyers.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Several key rings with a leather fob hanging from brass hooks on a wooden hook board.
Loan optionsOptions11 min read

4 loan options for seller credits: what each lets a seller pay

Seller credit caps for conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans side by side, what counts toward each cap, and how to size your request before you write the offer.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
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