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FHA financing, Fresno County 2026
Fresno FHA Loans
A Fresno FHA loan lets you buy with 3.5% down, and the limit is not the obstacle here. Fresno County sits at HUD’s national floor for FHA, $541,287 for one unit in 2026, and that is still well above the city’s $405,000 median. So the FHA questions in Fresno are less about the limit and more about the monthly mortgage insurance, and about which of three local assistance programs your address and income fit.
See if FHA fits FHA rates today
A Fresno FHA Loan Under HUD’s Floor Limit
HUD sets a national floor for FHA loan limits, and Fresno County is one of the many California counties that use it: $541,287 for a one-unit home in 2026. At the 3.5% minimum down payment, that supports a purchase up to about $560,000. With Redfin’s August 2026 median at $405,000 and Zillow’s typical value near $385,000, the city median and typical value sit well inside that range, as do the entry-level homes in southeast, southwest and central Fresno.
On a $400,000 home, a Fresno FHA loan needs $14,000 down at 3.5%. A score of 580 or higher qualifies for that minimum; scores from 500 to 579 need 10% down. Homes at the top of the market, in Copper River Ranch, the Woodward Park bluffs or Van Ness Extension, are where buyers outgrow FHA and move to a conventional loan.
Fresno County FHA and Conventional Rates Today
Priced for Fresno County, October 27, 2026
0.125 points See every option 15-year fixed 6.375% 6.436% APR P&I $5,531/mo on $640,000
$800 lender credit See every option 30-year VA 6.750% 6.794% APR P&I $4,151/mo on $640,000
$506 lender credit See every option 30-year jumbo 8.125% 8.209% APR P&I $8,910/mo on $1,200,000
0.322 points See every option
Par pricing for a single-family primary residence in Fresno County: 20% down, 30-year term unless noted, 780+ credit, 30-day lock, escrows included. Payments are principal and interest only; taxes and insurance add to them. Rates change through the day and are not a commitment to lend. Price your own Fresno scenario, no credit pull.
Entry-Level Housing Numbers for Fresno Buyers
Sources: Redfin Fresno housing market (August 2026); Zillow (September 30, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024.
For a renter, the most telling pair is rent against price. Average rent rose 3.9% over the year to September 2026 while the median sale price slipped 2.6%, so the gap between renting and owning narrowed from both sides. A 44-day median also gives an FHA buyer something a faster market would not: time to negotiate the repairs an FHA appraiser may require and to ask for a credit toward closing costs.
About half the city rents, and the FHA limit of $541,287 leaves room well above the median for a renter ready to buy.
Fresno Neighborhoods Where FHA Buyers Shop
Southeast Fresno
A mix of older and newer tracts at entry to mid-level prices, where a Fresno FHA loan, with 3.5% down and steadier pricing at moderate scores, does the most work.
Southwest Fresno
Lower-priced older homes in an area that is a focus of city reinvestment. Buyers here should check whether the address is inside city limits, which decides eligibility for the City’s assistance program.
Tower District and Central Fresno
Pre-war bungalows with character and age. Expect the FHA appraiser to look closely at paint, roofs and electrical, and plan the inspection accordingly.
Sunnyside and Other County Islands
Established homes, parts of which sit in unincorporated county islands. Those addresses fit the County’s Homebuyer Assistance Program rather than the City’s.
Northwest Fresno
Mid-price tract homes from the 1980s through the 2000s, with newer systems that can mean fewer appraisal repair items; check the price against the FHA limit.
Downtown Fresno
A small owner market, mostly rentals and new mixed-use projects. Any condo needs FHA project approval or a single-unit approval.
Three Assistance Programs, Three Different Maps
Fresno buyers have three local programs worth checking, but each covers a different area and has a different status. Check the one that fits your address before you write an offer.
- City of Fresno Mortgage Assistance Program: 2026 funding not confirmed. For low-income first-time buyers (no home owned in the past three years) purchasing a primary home inside Fresno city limits. County islands are not eligible. It lends up to $100,000 as a 0% deferred silent second, forgiven after 15 years, and buyers complete eight hours of homebuyer education. The round that opened in October 2025 had $974,567, enough for roughly 10 to 12 loans. We could not confirm whether money is available in 2026, so call the city’s housing team at 559-621-8300 before you count on it.
- Fresno County Homebuyer Assistance Program: listed as current. For first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income (2025 limits of $52,600 for one person and $75,100 for four) in unincorporated areas, partner cities and Fresno’s county islands, including Fig Garden, Sunnyside, Mayfair, Calwa and Tarpey Village. It is a 0% deferred loan for existing homes only. The county does not state a maximum amount or current funding, so ask.
- OpenHome Down Payment Assistance: open from August 17, 2026 until funds run out. Run by Beyond Housing Foundation with Fresno Housing, it offers up to $10,000 to qualifying renters in the Fresno and Madera area. A $250,000 U.S. Bank grant funds it, enough for about 35 families.
At the state level, CalHFA offers MyHome, a deferred junior loan worth up to 3.5% of the price alongside a CalHFA FHA first, while its Zero Interest Program goes with CalPLUS FHA loans and MyAccess with CalPLUS Access FHA loans. The Dream For All drawing closed its 2026 application window on March 16. Money for all of these comes in rounds, so recheck any program shortly before you apply, and ask how it stacks with your first mortgage.
What Mortgage Insurance Adds at $400,000
FHA collects 1.75% of the base loan up front, normally added to the balance, and then an annual premium split into monthly payments. Because Fresno’s one-unit limit is below $726,200, every one-unit Fresno FHA loan falls in the lower annual tier: 0.55% with the minimum down payment and 0.50% with 5% or more on a 30-year term. Duration is the bigger lever. With 10% or more down the annual premium ends after 11 years; with less, it never drops off, and the usual exit is a later conventional refinance once equity allows.
| $400,000 purchase | Base loan | Upfront MIP, 1.75% | Monthly MIP | MIP lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5% down | $386,000 | $6,755 | $177 (0.55%/yr) | Life of the loan |
| 5% down | $380,000 | $6,650 | $158 (0.50%/yr) | Life of the loan |
| 10% down | $360,000 | $6,300 | $150 (0.50%/yr) | 11 years |
Annual MIP rates for case numbers endorsed on or after March 20, 2023 (ML 2023-05), unchanged through October 2026.
Comparing FHA and Conventional at a 680 Score
At high scores, a 5%-down conventional loan usually comes out ahead, since PMI is cheap at those scores and can be cancelled later. Lower down the score range FHA pricing holds steady while conventional pricing and PMI climb. This runs a $375,000 Fresno purchase both ways at 680 using today’s county rates.
| $375,000 purchase, 680 credit | Conventional, 5% down | FHA, 3.5% down |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $18,750 | $13,125 |
| Loan amount | $356,250 | $368,208 with 1.75% upfront MIP |
| Today’s rate (APR) | 8.125% (8.227%) | 7.000% (7.080%) |
| Principal and interest | $2,645/mo | $2,450/mo |
| Mortgage insurance | $285/mo PMI | $166/mo MIP |
| Before taxes and insurance | $2,930/mo | $2,616/mo |
| Mortgage insurance ends | At 20% equity (can be removed) | Life of the loan with under 10% down |
Before property tax, insurance and any HOA dues. Rates are today’s Fresno County par prices with their APR and change daily.
Duplexes and Fourplexes With 3.5% Down
A Fresno FHA loan can finance two to four units with the same 3.5% minimum when you live in one of them. About half of Fresno households rent, and the rent from the other units can count toward qualifying under the lender’s rules.
| Fresno County, 2026 | FHA loan limit | Highest price at 3.5% down |
|---|---|---|
| One unit (house, condo, townhome) | $541,287 | $560,900 |
| Two units | $693,050 | $718,100 |
| Three units | $837,700 | $868,000 |
| Four units | $1,041,125 | $1,078,800 |
FHA forward mortgage limits for Fresno County, 2026 (HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23).
What a Fresno FHA Loan Requires
- Credit: 580 or higher for the 3.5% minimum; 500 to 579 needs 10% down. Many lenders set higher floors, which is one reason to compare.
- Down payment: 3.5% of the price, which can come from savings, an allowed gift or an approved assistance program.
- Occupancy: the home must be your primary residence, including one unit of a two to four unit building.
- Loan size: up to $541,287 for one unit in Fresno County in 2026.
- Mortgage insurance: 1.75% upfront plus an annual premium, as shown above.
- Property: an FHA appraisal that checks health and safety items along with value.
Older Homes and the FHA Appraisal
An FHA appraiser looks at health and safety as well as value. In Fresno’s older housing, especially pre-war bungalows in the Tower District and the central neighborhoods, that can mean peeling paint, a worn roof, missing handrails or an electrical issue that has to be fixed before closing. Ask your inspector to flag anything an FHA appraiser is likely to call, and negotiate the repair or a credit with the seller early. Condos are a small share of Fresno’s housing, but if you buy one, the project needs FHA approval or the unit needs a single-unit approval. One change ahead: starting with case numbers assigned January 1, 2027, lenders may pull FICO 10T or VantageScore 4.0 as well as Classic FICO, and the minimum scores stay where they are.
Steps to Close a Fresno FHA Loan
- Check the addressConfirm city limits or county island so you know which assistance programs apply.
- Pre-approvalMike reviews income, assets and credit and prices FHA against conventional across lenders.
- Offer and inspectionFlag likely FHA repair items early and negotiate them, or a credit, with the seller.
- Appraisal and underwritingA Fresno County FHA appraiser visits while assistance paperwork, if any, is processed.
- CloseSign with escrow or a mobile notary; the loan funds and records.
If you have served, run the numbers on a Fresno VA loan too, since VA charges no monthly mortgage insurance. Today’s prices for every program are on the Fresno mortgage rates page, and the FHA loan guide covers the program statewide. Buying in Clovis? See our Clovis mortgage broker page.
FHA Questions From Fresno Buyers
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Fresno County?
For a one-unit home it is $541,287, HUD’s national floor, for case numbers assigned in 2026. Two units go to $693,050 and four units to $1,041,125. At 3.5% down the one-unit limit supports a price of about $560,000, comfortably above Fresno’s August 2026 median of $405,000.
Is the City of Fresno Mortgage Assistance Program open in 2026?
We could not confirm it. The program opened in October 2025 with $974,567, enough for about 10 to 12 loans of up to $100,000 each as 0% deferred silent seconds forgiven after 15 years. Whether a 2026 round is funded was not confirmed, so call the City at 559-621-8300 or email HOUSING@fresno.gov before you plan around it.
I live in a county island like Sunnyside. Which program can I use?
Homes in Fresno county islands are not eligible for the City’s Mortgage Assistance Program, which covers addresses inside city limits. The Fresno County Homebuyer Assistance Program lists county islands including Fig Garden, Sunnyside, Mayfair, Calwa and Tarpey Village, for first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income buying an existing home. Confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel record.
Who can get OpenHome down payment help?
OpenHome, run by Beyond Housing Foundation with Fresno Housing, offers up to $10,000 to renters in the Fresno and Madera area who meet its requirements. It opened on August 17, 2026 and runs until the $250,000 U.S. Bank grant is used, which covers about 35 families. Apply early, because first-come programs of that size can run out quickly.
Which credit score does a Fresno FHA loan require?
FHA allows the 3.5% minimum down payment at 580 or above, and 10% down from 500 to 579. Individual lenders often set higher minimums, so a score that one lender declines may be approved by another. Pricing also tends to improve as the score climbs.
Can I use a Fresno FHA loan on a Tower District bungalow?
Yes, as long as the house meets FHA’s health and safety standards at appraisal. Older homes sometimes need paint, roof or electrical repairs before closing. With Fresno homes taking a median of 44 days to sell, there is usually time to negotiate those repairs or a credit with the seller.
How much is FHA mortgage insurance on a Fresno home?
Every one-unit FHA loan in Fresno County is under $726,200, so the annual premium on a 30-year loan is 0.55% with less than 5% down and 0.50% with 5% or more, plus a 1.75% upfront premium usually financed into the loan. On a $386,000 base loan, 0.55% is about $177 a month. With under 10% down it lasts for the life of the loan.
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See Whether a Fresno FHA Loan Fits
Send the price range, a rough credit score, your savings and whether the home is inside city limits or in a county island. Mike will compare FHA with conventional and any program you may fit, with us and against other wholesale lenders. No credit pull to start.
Prefer to talk? Call 800-801-5626.