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Hidden Hills sits behind its signature gates as one of LA County's most exclusive equestrian communities. Most homes sit on multi-acre lots with horse facilities, and many listings exceed conforming loan limits.
VA buyers face a unique challenge here: the zero-down benefit is powerful, but jumbo VA loans require lenders comfortable with high-value properties. Most Hidden Hills purchases need jumbo financing given the luxury market positioning.
VA Loans in Hidden Hills
You need a valid Certificate of Eligibility from the VA and sufficient remaining entitlement for your purchase price. No minimum credit score exists in VA guidelines, but most lenders set 580-620 floors.
For jumbo VA loans above conforming limits, expect stricter overlays. Lenders often want 660+ credit and reserve requirements—typically 6-12 months of payments in the bank after closing.
Local decision guide
Use this guide to connect va loans eligibility, lender expectations, and local market factors before comparing payment options in Hidden Hills.
Hidden Hills sits behind its signature gates as one of LA County's most exclusive equestrian communities. Most homes sit on multi-acre lots with horse facilities, and many listings exceed conforming loan limits.
VA buyers face a unique challenge here: the zero-down benefit is powerful, but jumbo VA loans require lenders comfortable with high-value properties. Most Hidden Hills purchases need jumbo financing given the luxury market positioning.
You need a valid Certificate of Eligibility from the VA and sufficient remaining entitlement for your purchase price. No minimum credit score exists in VA guidelines, but most lenders set 580-620 floors.
Not all VA lenders handle jumbo amounts. Regional and national banks dominate this space, but their overlays vary significantly on credit, reserves, and property types.
Properties with significant acreage or equestrian improvements sometimes trigger additional scrutiny. The appraiser must determine if features like barns or arenas contribute to value as residential amenities.
I see veterans stretch their entitlement here more than anywhere else in LA County. The zero-down advantage is massive when you're buying a $3-4M ranch property that would otherwise require $600-800K down.
Start the COE process early—it takes 2-4 weeks if you're a first-time VA user. For jumbo amounts, I shop 8-10 lenders because rate spreads can hit 0.5% between best and worst pricing on the same profile.
Conventional jumbo loans require 20% down minimum on this price range—that's $600K+ on a $3M property. VA eliminates that requirement entirely for qualified veterans.
Jumbo conventional loans also charge higher rates than conforming. VA rates stay competitive even above conforming limits, and you skip PMI regardless of down payment amount.
The 24-hour guarded gate and equestrian zoning create unique appraisal considerations. Your appraiser must find comparable sales within Hidden Hills or similar gated equestrian communities—limited inventory makes this challenging.
HOA fees run higher than typical suburbs due to gate staffing, bridle trail maintenance, and community amenities. Lenders include these in your debt-to-income calculation, which matters more when you're maxing entitlement.
No limit exists if you have full entitlement. Veterans with partial entitlement may face caps, but most Hidden Hills buyers need jumbo VA loans regardless.
Yes, if the property appraises as residential. Barns and arenas typically work fine as long as the home is the primary use and the lot size is reasonable.
No down payment required from VA. Some jumbo lenders may require 5-10% down as an overlay, but many don't—this is why shopping lenders matters here.
Same as conforming: 2.15% for first-time users with zero down, 1.25% with 5%+ down. Disabled veterans and some surviving spouses get waived fees.
Most lenders want 660 minimum for jumbo VA. Some go to 640, but you'll see better rate options above 680.