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FHA in the City of Riverside, 2026
Riverside FHA Loans
A Riverside FHA loan can reach the city’s median-priced home with 3.5% down, because Riverside County’s 2026 FHA limit is $690,000. Before you count on down payment help, though, know that the county’s two largest first-time buyer programs exclude homes inside City of Riverside limits.
See if FHA fits FHA rates today
How Far a Riverside FHA Loan Reaches at $690,000
At 3.5% down, a one-unit FHA loan at the county limit supports a purchase up to about $715,000. Redfin’s Riverside median sale was about $660,000 in September 2026, and Zillow’s typical value about $642,000, so FHA covers the middle of the market. The neighborhood section below shows which parts of the city fit.
FHA’s credit floor is part of its appeal. A score of 580 or higher qualifies for 3.5% down, and 500 to 579 needs 10% down. Individual lenders often set higher minimums of their own, which is one reason to compare several.
Riverside FHA and Conventional Rates Today
Priced for Riverside County, October 27, 2026
0.187 points See every option 30-year fixed 7.125% 7.192% APR P&I $4,312/mo on $640,000
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 Riverside 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 Riverside scenario, no credit pull.
Riverside Prices, Rents and Price Cuts for FHA Buyers
Sources: Zillow home values and rent index (September 30, 2026), Redfin (September 2026), Census ACS 2020-2024, HUD limits for 2026.
For FHA buyers, the price-cut figure is the useful one. When a seller has already reduced the price, asking for a credit toward closing costs is a reasonable request, and FHA allows seller contributions within its limits, which can cover much of the cash needed beyond the 3.5% down payment.
Riverside Areas Inside the FHA Limit
Zillow typical values, September 2026.
Casa Blanca
About $555,000, one of the more entry-level areas Zillow lists for the city, with a 3.5% down payment near $19,400.
Presidential Park, Ramona and Magnolia Center
Central single-family neighborhoods at about $572,000 to $578,000. Magnolia Center and Ramona are among the city’s older areas, so plan for the FHA appraisal’s condition checks.
Arlington South and Victoria
At about $625,000 and $661,000, comfortably inside the county FHA limit at minimum down.
Arlington Heights and Hawarden Hills
Near $834,000 and $880,000, above what the $690,000 limit reaches at 3.5% down, so FHA here takes a larger down payment, and a conventional loan is worth pricing.
Down Payment Help and the City Line
Riverside County runs two first-time buyer programs that look tailor-made for FHA buyers, and both stop at the city limits:
- County First Time Home Buyer (HOME) program: not for City of Riverside homes. For buyers at or below 80% of area median income ($89,500 for a household of four, effective July 1, 2025), it offers up to 20% of the price, maximum $100,000, as a deferred loan, with price caps of $564,205 for a single-family home and $513,000 for a condo. It was open while funds lasted for July 2025 to June 2026, but the City of Riverside was excluded.
- County PLHA program: also excludes the city. It serves buyers up to 120% of area median income ($124,680 for four) with the same 20% and $100,000 terms and price caps, and lists the City of Riverside as non-eligible.
- Inland Empire Down Payment Assistance (IEDPA): covers the city. Run by the Inland Empire Community Foundation and Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services and funded by a $1 million U.S. Bank gift, it offers low- and moderate-income first-time buyers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties up to $40,000 as a 0% deferred 30-year loan. It launched in February 2025 and was still listed in October 2026; current funding was not confirmed. NPHS has a Riverside office at 1935 Chicago Avenue.
State programs do not have the city-limits problem. CalHFA lists MyHome, a deferred junior loan of up to 3.5% of the price behind a CalHFA FHA first mortgage, as a current program, along with the Zero Interest Program for CalPLUS FHA borrowers and MyAccess for CalPLUS Access FHA borrowers. Dream For All took 2026 applications only from February 24 to March 16, chose recipients at random, and is closed. Funding changes during the year, so confirm a program is open before you build an offer around it.
Every One-Unit Loan Here Gets the Lower MIP Tier
FHA charges 1.75% of the base loan up front, usually financed, plus an annual premium paid monthly. On a 30-year loan the annual rate is 0.55% at minimum down and 0.50% with 5% or more when the base loan is $726,200 or less, and 0.75% or 0.70% above that. In high-cost coastal counties FHA loans can cross that threshold. In Riverside County none can on a single-family home, because the one-unit limit of $690,000 is below it, so every one-unit Riverside FHA loan pays the lower annual rate. With 10% or more down the premium ends after 11 years; with less, it lasts for the life of the loan. Here is the premium at the city median:
| $660,000 purchase | Base loan | Upfront MIP, 1.75% | Monthly MIP | MIP lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5% down | $636,900 | $11,146 | $292 (0.55%/yr) | Life of the loan |
| 5% down | $627,000 | $10,973 | $261 (0.50%/yr) | Life of the loan |
| 10% down | $594,000 | $10,395 | $248 (0.50%/yr) | 11 years |
Annual MIP for case numbers endorsed on or after March 20, 2023 (ML 2023-05), unchanged through October 2026. Price is the Riverside median sale, September 2026 (Redfin), rounded.
FHA vs Conventional at $625,000 and a 680 Score
Which loan comes out cheaper depends heavily on credit. A buyer near 780 often does better with conventional, where mortgage insurance is light and removable. At 680, conventional adds score-based price adjustments and costlier PMI, while FHA’s price hardly changes. This compares the two on a $625,000 purchase, close to the Arlington South typical value, at a 680 score with today’s Riverside County rates.
| $625,000 purchase, 680 credit | Conventional, 5% down | FHA, 3.5% down |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $31,250 | $21,875 |
| Loan amount | $593,750 | $613,680 with 1.75% upfront MIP |
| Today’s rate (APR) | 8.125% (8.208%) | 7.250% (7.326%) |
| Principal and interest | $4,409/mo | $4,186/mo |
| Mortgage insurance | $475/mo PMI | $276/mo MIP |
| Before taxes and insurance | $4,884/mo | $4,463/mo |
| Mortgage insurance ends | At 20% equity (can be removed) | Life of the loan with under 10% down |
Before property tax, insurance and HOA dues. Rates are today’s county par prices with APR and change daily.
Riverside FHA Loan Requirements
- Credit: 580 or higher for 3.5% down, 500 to 579 with 10% down; lenders may set higher floors.
- Occupancy: a primary residence, including a two- to four-unit building where you live in one unit.
- Premiums: 1.75% upfront and an annual premium that runs 11 years with 10% down or the life of the loan with less.
- Property: the FHA appraisal checks safety and soundness; condos need project or single-unit approval.
- Payment: principal, interest, MIP, property tax, insurance and any HOA dues all count in your ratio.
FHA Limits for Two to Four Units
FHA will finance a duplex, triplex or fourplex with 3.5% down if you live in one unit. Riverside has a deep renter base, roughly 43% to 46% of households by Census and ESRI counts, and Zillow’s average rent was $2,427 in September 2026, so the other units’ rent can help you qualify under the lender’s rules. One difference from a single-family FHA loan: the two-unit limit and above are higher than $726,200, so a large multi-unit loan can move into the 0.75% or 0.70% premium tier.
| Riverside County, 2026 | FHA loan limit | Highest price at 3.5% down |
|---|---|---|
| One unit (house, condo, townhome) | $690,000 | $715,000 |
| Two units | $883,475 | $915,500 |
| Three units | $1,067,875 | $1,106,600 |
| Four units | $1,327,175 | $1,375,300 |
FHA forward mortgage limits for Riverside County, 2026. Two- to four-unit figures are estimated from the one-unit limit using the standard unit ratios; confirm the exact figure in HUD’s limit lookup.
Older Central Homes and the FHA Appraisal
Several of Riverside’s FHA-priced neighborhoods, Magnolia Center and Ramona among them, are older central areas. FHA appraisers check health and safety items, and on older homes that can mean peeling paint, missing handrails, a roof near the end of its life or a broken window. Small items can often be fixed before closing; larger ones should come up in your inspection so you can negotiate. Condos need FHA project approval or a single-unit approval. Insurance counts too: CAL FIRE’s 2025 maps put parts of southern Riverside in the Very High fire hazard zone, so check the address before budgeting a premium.
Veterans, reservists and service members at March Air Reserve Base should also price a Riverside VA loan, which has no monthly mortgage insurance. Compare programs on the Riverside mortgage rates page or read the general FHA guide.
Five Steps to a Riverside FHA Loan Closing
- Confirm the addressMike checks whether the home is inside city limits, since that decides which assistance programs apply.
- Pre-approvalCredit, income and assets are reviewed so your FHA letter is ready before you tour.
- Offer with a creditOn a reduced listing, your agent can ask for a seller credit within FHA limits.
- FHA appraisalA Riverside County appraiser values the home and lists any repairs needed before closing.
- CloseSign electronically or with a notary, and escrow records the first loan and any assistance second.
Riverside FHA Loans: Questions People Ask
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in Riverside?
$690,000 for a one-unit home in Riverside County. Two- to four-unit limits are higher, roughly $883,000 for two units up to about $1,327,000 for four; confirm the exact figures in HUD’s limit lookup. With 3.5% down on a single-family home, that supports a purchase up to about $715,000, above the city’s September 2026 median of about $660,000.
Why does Riverside County down payment help skip city addresses?
The county’s HOME and PLHA first-time buyer programs serve much of Riverside County but list the City of Riverside as a non-eligible city. City buyers can look at the Inland Empire Down Payment Assistance program, up to $40,000 at 0% deferred for 30 years, and at CalHFA’s statewide programs. Confirm current funding before you apply.
Will I pay the higher FHA premium on a Riverside house?
Not on a single-family home. The higher annual premium applies only to base loans over $726,200, and the Riverside County one-unit limit is $690,000. At minimum down you pay 0.55% a year, or 0.50% with 5% or more down. Two- to four-unit loans can exceed $726,200 and pay the higher rate.
Can I get an FHA loan with a 600 credit score in Riverside?
HUD’s floor is 580 for the 3.5% minimum down payment, and scores from 500 to 579 can still qualify with 10% down. Many lenders set a higher floor of their own, so a 600 score may be approved by one lender and declined by another. Because Alameda lends directly and can also broker, Mike can place the file with a lender that will take it.
How long does FHA mortgage insurance last?
Put down at least 10% and the annual premium stops after 11 years; put down less and it stays as long as the loan does. The usual way out is refinancing into a conventional loan once you have about 20% equity. The 1.75% upfront premium is a one-time charge, usually added to the loan.
Can a seller help pay closing costs on a Riverside FHA loan?
Yes. FHA allows seller contributions toward closing costs and prepaid items within its limits. With about 28% of Riverside listings taking a price cut in September 2026, asking for a credit is often realistic, and it can reduce the cash a Riverside FHA loan buyer needs beyond the down payment.
Does the city transfer tax affect a Riverside FHA loan?
Not the loan itself. The City of Riverside’s $1.10 per $1,000 transfer tax, on top of the county’s $1.10, is customarily paid by the seller. If the contract shifts it to you, it becomes part of your closing costs, about $1,450 in total on a $660,000 sale.
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