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Los Altos Hills is one of the most expensive zip codes in the country. Nearly every purchase here requires a jumbo loan.
The conforming loan limit for Santa Clara County sits well below what most homes sell for. You'll need jumbo financing from day one.
720+
Typical Min Credit Score
10–20%
Down Payment
12 months
Reserves Required
43% max
DTI Limit
30–45 days
Typical Close Time
Jumbo lenders typically want a 720+ credit score and 12 months of reserves. Some programs allow 680, but expect a higher rate.
Debt-to-income ratio matters more on jumbo deals. Most lenders cap it at 43%, though 38% gets you better pricing.
Big banks dominate jumbo lending, but their overlays are brutal. We shop 200+ wholesale lenders to find programs banks won't show you.
Jumbo pricing varies wildly across lenders. A quarter-point difference on a $3M loan is real money every month.
Los Altos Hills properties often sit on large lots with limited comps. Appraisal gaps kill jumbo deals more than anything else here.
Asset depletion programs are underused in this market. High net-worth buyers with assets but low W-2 income qualify more easily than they think.
A conforming loan caps out far below what you need in Los Altos Hills. Jumbo is the only path for most buyers in this city.
ARMs are worth a real look on jumbo loans. A 7/1 ARM can save thousands monthly on a $2M+ balance. Rates vary by borrower profile and market conditions.
Los Altos Hills requires all homes to sit on at least one acre. Lot premiums are real and appraisers treat them differently than structures.
Many buyers here are tech executives with equity comp. Lenders handle RSUs and stock bonuses differently — get that sorted before you're in contract.
Any loan above the FHFA conforming limit is jumbo. In Santa Clara County, that threshold is high, but most Los Altos Hills purchases exceed it.
Yes, but lenders want a 2-year history of receiving RSUs. They'll average the vested income and may discount it depending on your employer.
Most programs do, but 10% down jumbo options exist. Expect stricter credit and reserve requirements when putting less down.
Plan for 30-45 days. Jumbo underwriting is more manual than conforming. Complex income situations can push that to 60 days.
Not always. On large loan balances, jumbo rates can actually beat conforming. It depends on the lender and your profile. Rates vary by borrower profile and market conditions.
Most lenders require 12 months of housing payments in liquid reserves. Some portfolio lenders will count investment accounts at 60-70% of their value.
Jumbo Loans in Los Altos Hills