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Priced for San Diego County every business day
San Diego Mortgage Rates Today
These San Diego mortgage rates are priced for a San Diego County address, each with its APR. Below them you will find what a 15-year term, a point or two, and a low down payment do to the same loan, and the handful of things that make one San Diego quote differ from another on the same morning.
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Today’s San Diego Mortgage Rates
Priced for San Diego 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 FHA 7.250% 7.324% APR P&I $4,366/mo on $640,000
0.187 points 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% 8.208% APR P&I $9,652/mo on $1,300,000
0.322 points See every option
Par pricing for a single-family primary residence in San Diego 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 San Diego scenario, no credit pull.
How to Read the Rate Cards
Each card is a par price: the rate where the lender neither charges points nor pays a credit, on a single-family home you will live in, with 20% down, a 780 score and a 30-day lock. That is a clean benchmark, not a promise. Your own quote moves from there, and in San Diego it tends to move for local reasons. Click any card to see every rate and point combination for that program, or open the full pricing engine and enter your own numbers without a credit pull.
What Moves a San Diego Mortgage Rate
- Which loan band you are in. The county’s 2026 limit is $1,104,000, but the national baseline is $832,750. Loans between the two are high-balance conforming and carry their own pricing. Above $1,104,000 the loan is jumbo, priced lender by lender.
- Down payment. Conventional pricing steps at each 5% of loan-to-value. Sometimes a few thousand dollars more down saves more over the loan than it costs today.
- Condo or house. Many conventional lenders add a pricing adjustment on condos with less than 25% down.
- Credit score. The cards assume 780. Each step down adds cost on conventional loans; FHA and VA pricing is far less sensitive to score.
- Occupancy. A rental or second home prices higher than a primary residence. Investors who would rather qualify on rent use a DSCR loan, a different product altogether.
San Diego Market Insights for Rate Shoppers
Sources: Redfin San Diego housing market, Zillow home values (both September 2026); FHFA and HUD 2026 limits.
Two facts set up most San Diego rate conversations. The city’s median sale price sits just under the county limit, and the national baseline sits well below both. A buyer at the median who puts down less than about 15% borrows more than $832,750, so the quote comes from the high-balance grid rather than the standard one. That is not a penalty, but it is a different price, and lenders disagree about it more than about standard loans.
The pace of the market decides how long you need San Diego mortgage rates held. With homes under contract in about four weeks and selling at 99% of list, there is usually time to underwrite before writing an offer, which is what makes a standard 30-day lock workable for a typical purchase.
Which Rate Grid Your Neighborhood Lands On
San Diego mortgage rates are quoted by loan amount, not neighborhood, but typical values (Zillow, September 2026) make the pattern predictable.
City Heights, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa
Typical values from about $407,000 to $772,000 keep almost every loan on the standard conforming or FHA grid. For scores below the mid-700s, FHA and VA par rates tend to hold up better than conventional pricing.
Linda Vista and Kearny Mesa
At roughly $781,000 to $790,000, even a 5% down conventional loan stays under the $832,750 baseline, so the main pricing levers are score, down payment and mortgage insurance.
Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo and Clairemont
Typical values of about $981,000, $966,000 and $969,000 to $1.08 million sit right where the bands meet. At 15% down a $981,000 Mira Mesa purchase borrows about $833,850, a hair over the baseline, while 20% down keeps it standard. Price both.
Scripps Ranch, Carmel Mountain and Bay Ho
At about $1.36 million, $1.19 million and $1.16 million, a 20% down payment lands these loans in the high-balance band rather than jumbo. A smaller down payment can push Scripps Ranch over $1,104,000.
Carmel Valley, Black Mountain Ranch and La Jolla
Typical values from about $1.92 million to $2.34 million (La Jolla as of December 2025) mean jumbo pricing, which some days runs close to conforming and other days does not.
Downtown, Mission Valley, Pacific Beach and University City
These are the city’s condo-heavy areas, so the condo adjustment applies to many quotes here, and the building itself has to pass the lender’s review before the rate means anything.
15-Year vs 30-Year Fixed on a $979,000 Home
The comparison uses the September 2026 city median and today’s par rates for both terms. The 15-year payment is much higher, which makes it a hard fit at purchase for most budgets at this price. It suits owners refinancing a loan they have already paid down for years and want to finish before retirement, and buyers arriving with large equity from a previous home. The last row is the one to remember for any term: what a quarter point is worth each month on a loan this size.
| $979,000 home, 20% down ($783,200 loan) | 30-year fixed, 7.125% (7.192% APR) | 15-year fixed, 6.375% (6.436% APR) |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest | $5,277/mo | $6,769/mo |
| Interest over the full term | $1,116,363 | $435,186 |
| Each 0.25% in rate on the 30-year | about $133 a month | |
San Diego median sale price, September 2026 (Redfin). Principal and interest only. Rates are today’s county par prices and change daily.
Buying Points or Taking a Lender Credit
Every rate has a price. Paying points lowers the rate; choosing a higher rate earns a lender credit that can cover closing costs. The ladder shows five steps around par on the same loan, with the APR for each and how many months of lower payments it takes to earn back what you paid. If you expect to sell or refinance within a few years, the payback column usually argues against points. If you are buying the house you plan to stay in, it can argue for them.
| Rate on a $783,200 loan | APR | Points or credit | Payment vs par | Points pay back in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.875% | 7.009% | You pay $6,853 | $131/mo less | 53 months |
| 7.000% | 7.086% | You pay $2,937 | $66/mo less | 45 months |
| 7.125% | 7.187% | You pay $979 | Same | None |
Conventional 30-year fixed, 20% down on $979,000, from today’s San Diego County rate sheet.
First-Purchase Payments at $700,000
A $700,000 price sits near the top of the city’s entry-level areas. Here is the same purchase three ways at a 700 score: conventional with 5% down, FHA with 3.5% down, and VA with nothing down for those who are eligible. Mortgage insurance separates them as much as the rate does.
| $700,000 purchase, 700 credit | Conventional, 5% down | FHA, 3.5% down | VA, 0% down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $35,000 | $24,500 | $0 |
| Loan amount | $665,000 | $687,321 with 1.75% upfront MIP | $715,050 with 2.15% funding fee |
| Today’s rate (APR) | 7.999% (8.073%) | 7.250% (7.323%) | 6.875% (6.940%) |
| Principal and interest | $4,879/mo | $4,689/mo | $4,697/mo |
| Mortgage insurance | $432/mo PMI | $310/mo MIP | None |
| Before taxes and insurance | $5,311/mo | $4,998/mo | $4,697/mo |
| Mortgage insurance ends | At 20% equity (can be removed) | Life of the loan with under 10% down | Never charged |
Before property tax, insurance and HOA dues. FHA includes the 1.75% upfront premium in the loan; VA includes the 2.15% first-use funding fee, which is waived for veterans receiving disability compensation.
How the Fed and the Prime Rate Affect Fixed Rates
When the Federal Reserve moves its target range, the prime rate follows, usually by the next business day, and that change flows straight into home equity lines and other loans tied to prime. Fixed San Diego mortgage rates work differently: like fixed rates everywhere, they follow the bond market and expectations about inflation and future policy, so they can rise before a Fed move, fall after one, or barely react. If you own a home and want cash rather than a purchase loan, the San Diego HELOC page covers the prime-based side, with rates from 7.49% APR, variable.
Locking Your Rate on a San Diego Purchase
A 30-day lock, which the cards above assume, covers most purchases when the loan is underwritten before you write the offer. Condos with a slow HOA questionnaire, new construction in the north city and jumbo files with heavier documentation can need 45 or 60 days, and longer locks cost a little more. Mike will tell you which one your file needs and when to lock, but the decision to lock or float is yours.
Higher Limits for Two to Four Units
For 2026, a two-unit property in San Diego County can carry a conforming loan up to $1,413,350, three units $1,708,400 and four units $2,123,100. In a city where most households rent, an owner-occupied duplex lets the second unit’s rent help you qualify. FHA allows 3.5% down with a 580 score if you live in one of the units. Run a specific building through the mortgage calculator before you tour it.
Five Steps From Quote to Locked Rate
- Price it yourselfEnter price, down payment, score and property type in the pricing engine. No credit pull, no contact details.
- Send it to MikeHe reprices the same scenario with us and against other wholesale lenders and flags any band, condo or occupancy adjustment.
- Underwrite before the offerIncome and assets reviewed up front, so the rate you see is one you can actually close on.
- Pick the rate and costChoose par, buy the rate down with points, or take a credit toward closing costs.
- Lock to your escrowLock for the escrow length your contract sets, usually 30 days, longer for condos or jumbos.
Questions About Mortgage Rates in San Diego
Why is my quote higher than the San Diego mortgage rates on the cards?
The cards are par prices for a single-family primary home with 20% down, a 780 score and a 30-day lock. A lower score, less down, a condo, a rental, a high-balance loan amount or a longer lock each adjust the price. Enter your own numbers in the pricing engine, or send them to Mike, to see the rate and APR for your actual scenario.
Do high-balance loans cost more than standard conforming loans?
Usually a little, though it varies by lender and by day. In San Diego County, loans from $832,751 to $1,104,000 are high-balance conforming. Because purchases near the city median can fall in that range, comparing lenders pays off here, and so does pricing a slightly larger down payment that brings the loan under $832,750.
Are FHA and VA rates lower than conventional rates in San Diego?
On many days the par rate on FHA and VA loans prices below conventional, especially for scores under the mid-700s. The rate is not the whole cost, though. FHA adds upfront and monthly mortgage insurance, and VA adds a funding fee unless you are exempt. The $700,000 comparison above puts all three side by side.
How long should I lock my rate on a San Diego purchase?
Most purchases close within 30 days of the accepted offer when the loan was underwritten early, so a 30-day lock is common. Condos, new construction and jumbo loans often need 45 or 60 days. A longer lock costs a little more, and an extension after the fact usually costs more still.
Do these rates apply to Chula Vista and the rest of the county?
Yes. Pricing is set by county, so a loan anywhere in San Diego County uses the same $1,104,000 limit and rate sheet, adjusted for your score, down payment and property type. A local appraiser and escrow company handle every San Diego County file.
How often do San Diego mortgage rates change?
Lenders reprice at least once each business day and sometimes more than once when the bond market moves sharply. The cards on this page are refreshed from the county rate sheet, and the date beside them shows when. A quote is only firm once it is locked.
Does checking rates hurt my credit?
Not here. The cards and the pricing engine need no credit check at all. When you apply, one credit report covers the lenders Mike compares, and mortgage inquiries within a short window are generally scored as one.
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Get Your Own San Diego Mortgage Rate
Send the price, down payment, credit range and property type. Mike will price it as a direct lender and, if it helps, with other wholesale lenders, and send the rate, APR and cash to close, usually the same business day. No credit pull to start.
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