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Los Angeles County, a direct lender that can also broker
San Fernando Valley Mortgage Broker
A San Fernando Valley mortgage broker has to answer two questions before quoting a rate: how big is the loan next to the $1,249,125 Los Angeles County limit, and is the house inside the City of Los Angeles? The Valley’s single-family median was $1,101,000 in September 2026 (SRAR), just under that limit, and most Valley streets fall under LA City taxes and rental rules. Alameda Mortgage lends directly with the option to broker, and Mike Fisher prices Valley loans with us and, when it helps, against other wholesale lenders from the Simi Valley branch, the next valley west.
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A San Fernando Valley Mortgage Broker for a Region of Many Jurisdictions
The Valley is a 260-square-mile basin of roughly 1.8 million people, ringed by the Santa Susana Mountains, the Simi Hills, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Verdugos and the San Gabriels. For a loan file it is several places, not one. Most of the basin, from Chatsworth and Woodland Hills across to Sylmar and Studio City, belongs to the City of Los Angeles. Burbank, San Fernando, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and part of Glendale are their own cities with their own rules.
That split changes real dollars. A Reseda or Northridge sale pays the City of Los Angeles transfer tax and, at the very top of the market, Measure ULA. A Burbank sale pays only the county’s tax. A good San Fernando Valley mortgage broker sorts that out at the quote stage, so the cash to close and the rent you count on are right from day one.
The other split is the loan limit. Los Angeles County’s 2026 one-unit limit of $1,249,125 is the high-cost ceiling, and the FHA limit matches it. Anything from $832,751 up to that figure is a high-balance conforming loan, which lenders price on a separate grid. At the September median, a 20% down payment leaves a loan of about $880,800, already high-balance.
Today’s Valley Home Loan Rates for Los Angeles County
Priced for Los Angeles County, November 14, 2026
0.750 points See every option 15-year fixed 6.375% 6.515% APR P&I $5,531/mo on $640,000
0.375 points See every option 30-year FHA 7.375% 7.409% APR P&I $4,420/mo on $640,000
$1,408 lender credit See every option 30-year VA 6.875% 6.936% APR P&I $4,204/mo on $640,000
0.086 points See every option 30-year jumbo 8.125% 8.238% APR P&I $10,395/mo on $1,400,000
0.619 points See every option
Par pricing for a single-family primary residence in Los Angeles 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 Fernando Valley scenario, no credit pull.
Why Use a Mortgage Broker in the Valley Instead of a Bank
A branch banker can only quote what that one bank sells. Mike prices your Valley scenario with our own programs and other wholesale lenders’ at once and lays the results side by side: rate, APR, points or lender credit, and cash to close. One lender may price high-balance loans better this week; another may approve a Warner Center condo building a third will not touch. He works from Simi Valley; there is no Alameda Mortgage office in the Valley.
| A retail bank | Alameda Mortgage, direct lender that can also broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the price | One institution and its rate sheet | Alameda directly, plus other wholesale lenders, compared on the same day |
| Loans from $832,751 to $1,249,125 | One bank’s high-balance pricing | Several lenders’ high-balance grids, where spreads are widest |
| Hillside homes above $1,249,125 | Only if the bank keeps jumbos in house | Jumbo and non-QM lenders with different reserve rules |
| Condos and townhomes | One HOA review standard | Several lenders, so a declined building can still close |
| Fire-zone insurance | Often expects a standard carrier policy | Lenders that accept the FAIR Plan with a difference-in-conditions policy |
| Business-owner income | Tax returns only | Tax returns, or bank statement programs |
General comparison. Individual banks and lenders differ, and every loan is subject to credit approval.
San Fernando Valley Real Estate Market Insights
Source: Southland Regional Association of Realtors (SRAR), San Fernando Valley statistics for September 2026. SRAR also reported medians of $1,105,000 in August and $1,120,000 in July 2026.
SRAR describes a slower market, not a falling one. Single-family prices eased a few percent from a year earlier and slipped from $1.12 million in July to $1.10 million in September, while condos moved the other way. Sales fell by nearly a quarter, but listings shrank too. Buyers have time to inspect and compare loan offers.
For financing, the useful fact is where the median sits: about $148,000 below the county limit. A median-priced house fits a conforming or FHA loan at almost any down payment, while hillside Tarzana and Woodland Hills 91364 bring jumbo into play, so a San Fernando Valley mortgage broker should price both sides of the line.
San Fernando Valley Housing Market Outlook
We do not publish forecasts. Inventory is lower than a year ago, days on market are a little longer, and the condo segment is firming while single-family prices drift.
San Fernando Valley Neighborhoods and the Loans They Usually Need
Values below are Zillow typical home values for September 2026 unless noted. Each name links to that area’s own guide.
Canoga Park and Reseda
The west and central Valley’s entry tier: about $734,000 in Canoga Park and $773,000 in Reseda. Canoga Park is majority renter; Reseda is mostly flat 1940s and 1950s tracts. FHA and low-down conventional loans dominate here.
North Hills
Known as Sepulveda until 1991, North Hills runs about $847,000, with a roughly even owner and renter mix. It is home to the Sepulveda VA Medical Center, so veterans often compare a VA loan against FHA here.
Chatsworth
At about $931,000, Chatsworth sits against the Santa Susana Mountains on the Valley’s northwest corner and is on the LAFD Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone list. Most purchases are conforming.
Granada Hills and Northridge
Granada Hills, around $975,000, is mid-century tracts plus hillside streets north of the 118. Northridge, around $1.05 million, mixes post-war tracts with condos near CSUN. Both commonly price as high-balance conforming with 10% to 20% down.
West Hills
West Hills, about $997,000, is one of the most owner-occupied parts of the city, with 1960s-and-later tracts on low-density lots against the Simi Hills. The January 2025 Kenneth Fire burned 1,052 acres there.
Tarzana and Woodland Hills
Tarzana runs about $1.17 million, with hillside homes south of Ventura Boulevard. Woodland Hills ranged from a Redfin median of about $1.18 million in 91367 (August 2026), which includes Warner Center condos, to about $1.55 million in 91364 (September 2026). These are the Valley’s main jumbo neighborhoods.
Burbank and Glendale, Separate Cities
Burbank, about $1.17 million, and Glendale, about $1.18 million (August 2026), are their own cities. Neither charges the LA City transfer tax or Measure ULA, and each has its own tenant ordinance.
City of Los Angeles Rules That Reach Valley Loans
Four city rules show up in LA City Valley files. None apply in Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Calabasas or Hidden Hills.
- Transfer tax: the City of Los Angeles charges $2.25 per $500 of price (0.45%) on top of the county’s $0.55 per $500 (0.11%), about 0.56% combined. On a $1,101,000 sale that is roughly $6,166, versus about $1,211 for the county tax alone in Burbank.
- Measure ULA: for sales closing after June 30, 2026, a sale above $5,400,000 and below $10,900,000 pays 4% of the full price, and a sale of $10,900,000 or more pays 5.5%.
- Rent Stabilization Ordinance: covers rentals first built on or before October 1, 1978, including duplexes and two or more houses on one lot. Allowable increases are 3% from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
- Home-Sharing Ordinance: short-term rentals are allowed only in the host’s primary residence, up to 120 nights a year without extended approval.
Loan Programs a San Fernando Valley Mortgage Broker Can Shop
- Conventional loans, standard up to $832,750 and high-balance up to $1,249,125, from 3% down on standard loans (5% on high-balance) for eligible buyers.
- FHA loans at 3.5% down, with the same $1,249,125 county limit, a strong fit for the $638,000 condo median.
- VA home loans with no down payment and, with full entitlement, no county loan cap.
- Jumbo loans for hillside Tarzana, Woodland Hills and Encino-edge homes above the limit.
- Non-QM and bank statement loans for entertainment freelancers, contractors and owners who write off most of their income.
- DSCR loans that qualify a Valley rental on its rent instead of your tax returns.
- HELOCs and fixed-rate seconds for owners who want to keep their first mortgage.
- Refinances, rate-and-term or cash-out, and purchase loans of every size.
Property Taxes, Insurance and Transfer Tax Across the Valley
Property tax starts at 1% of the purchase price under Proposition 13, plus voter-approved debt, and Los Angeles County’s 2025-26 Taxpayers’ Guide says the total rate in most of the county does not exceed 1.25%. Read the tax bill for any special assessment lines before you offer.
Insurance deserves more attention than taxes. LAFD places 16 Valley communities in the city’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone: Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Lake View Terrace, Pacoima, Porter Ranch, Sherman Oaks, Shadow Hills, Studio City, Sunland, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Tarzana, Tujunga, West Hills and Woodland Hills. Hillside owners are the most frequent FAIR Plan users, so request a quote during the inspection period; the premium is part of the payment you qualify on.
California property tax starts at 1% of the purchase price under Proposition 13, plus voter-approved bonds and any special assessments on the parcel, so the real bill varies by street. Insurance depends on the home, its fire and flood exposure and the carrier. These are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Run your own numbers.
First-Time Buyer Help in the San Fernando Valley
Inside the City of Los Angeles, the LA Housing Department runs two programs. LIPA offers up to $161,000 to first-time buyers earning up to 80% of area median income, and MIPA offers up to $115,000 to moderate-income households (for a four-person household in 2026, $133,251 to $183,250). Both are 0% deferred, shared-appreciation loans with a $956,465 price cap. Reservations open in periodic rounds, so check LAHD for the current round before you offer. CalHFA’s MyHome Assistance Program, a deferred junior loan up to 3.5% of the price with a CalHFA FHA first, applies Valley-wide.
Refinancing and Home Equity in the San Fernando Valley
Many Valley owners bought or refinanced when rates were far lower than now. For them a San Fernando Valley HELOC or a closed-end second usually beats a cash-out refinance; lines start from 7.49% APR, variable. A rate-and-term refinance still makes sense to drop FHA mortgage insurance once you reach 20% equity or to remove a co-borrower. Test payments with the mortgage calculator.
Investment Property Financing in the Valley
Valley renters concentrate near job centers: Warner Center, the Burbank studios, the hospital campuses and CSUN. Zillow two-bedroom asking rents in west Valley ZIPs ran from about $2,500 in Canoga Park and Tarzana to $3,135 in Woodland Hills 91367 in October 2026. A DSCR loan qualifies the property on that rent and can close in an LLC.
Inside LA City, a pre-1978 duplex or fourplex is RSO housing with capped increases and relocation duties, and non-RSO units still get just-cause protection after six months. A single house alone on its lot is generally outside RSO; check any parcel on ZIMAS. Owner-occupied two-to-four unit buildings qualify for conforming limits of $1,599,375 for two units and $2,402,625 for four, and the other units’ rent can count toward income.
Why Choose Alameda Mortgage as Your San Fernando Valley Mortgage Broker
Simi Valley, where Mike runs the branch, is the next valley to the west, just across the Santa Susana Pass from Chatsworth. You work with Mike directly from the first quote through funding. He tells you which loan band you are in and whether LA City rules apply to the address.
How a Valley purchase moves from first call to keys
- Share the basicsAddress or area, price range, down payment and income type. No credit pull.
- Underwritten pre-approvalIncome and assets reviewed before you shop.
- Compare and lockOptions from several lenders, each with rate, APR, points or credit and cash to close. You choose and lock.
- Appraisal and conditionsA Los Angeles County appraiser values the home while Mike clears conditions.
- CloseE-signature or a mobile notary, and your escrow company records the loan.
Valley Home Loan Questions
Is a median San Fernando Valley home a conforming loan?
Usually. The September 2026 SRAR single-family median was $1,101,000, under the $1,249,125 Los Angeles County limit. With 20% down the loan is about $880,800, which is high-balance conforming because it is above the $832,750 national baseline. Jumbo starts only above $1,249,125.
Which parts of the Valley are not in the City of Los Angeles?
Burbank, San Fernando, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and part of Glendale are separate cities. Most other Valley communities, including Chatsworth, Northridge, Reseda, Tarzana and Woodland Hills, are LA City neighborhoods, so the city transfer tax, Measure ULA, the Rent Stabilization Ordinance and the Home-Sharing Ordinance apply there.
How much is transfer tax on a Valley home?
Inside LA City it is about 0.56% combined: the city’s 0.45% plus the county’s 0.11%, or roughly $6,166 on a $1,101,000 sale. In Burbank or Glendale only the county tax applies, about $1,211 on the same price. Measure ULA adds 4% or 5.5% only above $5.4 million.
What does a San Fernando Valley mortgage broker do differently from a bank?
Alameda Mortgage lends directly and can also broker, so one application is priced with us and other wholesale lenders and you see each offer, while a bank offers only its own programs. That helps most on high-balance, condo, fire-zone, jumbo and self-employed files.
Can I use LA City down payment help in the Valley?
Yes, if the home is inside the City of Los Angeles and you qualify. LIPA offers up to $161,000 and MIPA up to $115,000, both with a $956,465 maximum price. Reservations open in periodic rounds with limited slots, so check the current round with LAHD and confirm the lender participates before you rely on it.
Do you have an office in the San Fernando Valley?
No. Alameda Mortgage’s branch is in Simi Valley, next door to the west, and Mike lends throughout California. Valley loans close by e-signature with a local appraiser and escrow.
What Clients Say About Working With Mike
★★★★★
The process went smoothly and very quickly
★★★★★
Everthing was explained in detail and answered all my questions.
★★★★★
Mike had great communication and knows how to get things done.
More San Fernando Valley Home Loan Guides
Nearby San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles Cities
Contact Your San Fernando Valley Mortgage Broker
Tell us the neighborhood or address, the price range and your down payment. Mike will show where the loan falls against the $1,249,125 county limit, flag any LA City costs, and price it with us and against other wholesale lenders, usually the same business day. No credit pull to start.
Prefer to talk? Call 800-801-5626.