These are the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single family residence (SFR) loan limits, effective January 1, 2011. Actual loan limits are established for each county, depending on whether they are considered a high-cost or low-cost area.
For high-cost areas (regions where the loan limits may exceed $417,000), the maximum loan limits are:
- $729,750 for one unit;
- $934,200 for two units;
- $1,129,250 for three units; and
- $1,403,400 for four units.
For low-cost areas, the minimum loan limits are:
- $271,050 for one unit;
- $347,000 for two units;
- $419,400 for three units; and
- $521,250 for four units.
| County Name | One unit | Two units | Three units | Four units |
| ALAMEDA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| ALPINE | $547,500 | $700,900 | $847,200 | $1,052,900 |
| AMADOR | $443,750 | $568,050 | $686,650 | $853,350 |
| BUTTE | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| CALAVERAS | $462,500 | $592,050 | $715,700 | $889,450 |
| COLUSA | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| CONTRA-COSTA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| DEL NORTE | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| EL DORADO | $580,000 | $742,500 | $897,500 | $1,115,400 |
| FRESNO | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| GLENN | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| HUMBOLDT | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| IMPERIAL | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| INYO | $437,500 | $560,050 | $677,000 | $841,350 |
| KERN | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| KINGS | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| LAKE | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| LASSEN | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| LOS ANGELES | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| MADERA | $425,000 | $544,050 | $657,650 | $817,300 |
| MARIN | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| MARIPOSA | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| MENDOCINO | $512,500 | $656,100 | $793,050 | $985,600 |
| MERCED | $472,500 | $604,900 | $731,150 | $908,650 |
| MODOC | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| MONO | $529,000 | $677,200 | $818,600 | $1,017,300 |
| MONTEREY | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| NAPA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| NEVADA | $562,500 | $720,100 | $870,450 | $1,081,750 |
| ORANGE | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| PLACER | $474,950 | $608,000 | $734,950 | $913,350 |
| PLUMAS | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| RIVERSIDE | $500,000 | $640,100 | $773,700 | $961,550 |
| SACRAMENTO | $580,000 | $742,500 | $897,500 | $1,115,400 |
| SAN BENITO | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SAN BERNARDINO | $500,000 | $640,100 | $773,700 | $961,550 |
| SAN DIEGO | $697,500 | $892,950 | $1,079,350 | $1,341,350 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SAN JOAQUIN | $488,750 | $625,700 | $756,300 | $939,900 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | $687,500 | $880,100 | $1,063,850 | $1,322,150 |
| SAN MATEO | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SANTA BARBARA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SANTA CLARA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SANTA CRUZ | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| SHASTA | $423,750 | $542,450 | $655,700 | $814,900 |
| SIERRA | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| SISKIYOU | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| SOLANO | $557,500 | $713,700 | $862,700 | $1,072,150 |
| SONOMA | $662, 500 | $848,100 | $1,025,200 | $1,274,050 |
| STANISLAUS | $423,750 | $542,450 | $655,700 | $814,900 |
| SUTTER | $425,000 | $544,050 | $657,650 | $817,300 |
| TEHAMA | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| TRINITY | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| TULARE | $417,000 | $533,850 | $645,300 | $801,950 |
| TOULUMNE | $437,500 | $560,050 | $677,000 | $841,350 |
| VENTURA | $729,750 | $934,200 | $1,129,250 | $1,403,400 |
| YOLO | $580,000 | $742,500 | $897,500 | $1,115,400 |
| YUBA | $425,000 | $544,050 | $657,650 | $817,300 |
Loans limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will remain unchanged from 2010. General loan limits for 2011 are:
- $417,000 for one unit;
- $533,850 for two units;
- $645,300 for three units; and
- $801,950 for four units.
first tuesday take: Agents and brokers should make themselves and their colleagues aware of this data for the coming year. FHA-insured lending is set to remain at around 40% of loan volume, until the government determines FHA programs need to be restricted again to first-time homebuyers (by lowering the limits), and private mortgage insurance (PMI) and lenders agree to get back into the market full tilt.
It is coming, and faster than we have anticipated. Lenders are eager to get in on the huge profit spreads now available to them, thanks to the Federal Reserve (Fed) maintaining what are basically 0% interest rates for lenders at the moment.
Re: “2011 FHA Maximum Loan Limits” from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
“Confirmation of Conventional Loan Limits for 2011” from Fannie Mae
“Loan Limits” from Freddie Mac
