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 NameOne unitTwo unitsThree unitsFour 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