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MortgagePops Blog

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

Type · 3
Comparison (2)How-to (3)Q&A (5)Options (2)Program guide (2)Story (2)Local guide (2)Market update (2)
Clear
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
Multiple people tour an empty home interior with bright sunlight from glass doors and windows.
Loan optionsProgram guide8 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 pale gray Cape Cod-style cottage with a blue front door, black shutters, window boxes and a small gabled porch on a green spring lawn.
Loan optionsComparison9 min read

FHA vs conventional at a 680–740 score: the five-year cost

With a small down payment and a 680–740 score, compare FHA's HUD premiums on a $400,000 example with a written conventional insurance quote over five years.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
Two people stand on the front lawn of a two-story beige house with a garage, surrounded by palm trees and neighboring homes.
QualifyingStory5 min read

Buying a house after a short sale: a San Diego comeback

How long you wait after a short sale for FHA, VA and Fannie Mae loans, and how one San Diego couple timed their purchase to buy again.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer
A hand unlocks a wooden door with a brass knob at the entrance of a single-story house on a sunny day.
San DiegoProgram guide12 min read

VA loans near Pendleton and Miramar for self-employed buyers

How a VA loan works near Pendleton and Miramar: zero down, the funding fee, how entitlement sets your limit, and what self-employed income a VA lender counts.

Sophia WarnerSenior Loan Officer