High-balance & jumbo · Great for higher-priced CO & TX homes
When your price point sits above the standard conforming loan limits, you don’t have to give up on smart financing. We’ll help you navigate high-balance conforming where available and full jumbo & super jumbo options for larger homes and unique price points.
Loan limits, pricing, and investor guidelines vary by county, property type, and program. We’ll plug in the current-year numbers for your exact scenario so you know which tier you’re in before you make big decisions. If you like to understand the lanes first, the High-Balance & Jumbo Guide gives a deeper walkthrough of how limits, down payment, and reserves all fit together.
NMLS #277954 • Success Mortgage Partners • Loan limits, pricing, and investor guidelines vary by county, property type, and program. We’ll confirm your specific options based on current-year limits.
Big-picture view
Every year, federal agencies publish loan limits for conventional (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac) mortgages. As home prices rise, it’s common for buyers to “climb the ladder”: standard conforming → high-balance conforming (where available) → jumbo.
Loans at or below the baseline conforming limit for your county. These typically offer the broadest range of options and are often your starting point.
Available in certain higher-cost Colorado counties when your loan amount sits above the baseline limit but still within the expanded “high-balance” window. Still conventional, just tailored for higher-priced markets.
Kicks in when your loan amount exceeds the conforming limit for your county. These loans live in the jumbo market with guidelines focused on strong income, assets, and reserves.
In many Texas counties, there is no separate high-balance tier—amounts above the conforming limit are typically jumbo. We’ll plug in the current-year numbers for your exact county so you know which bucket you’re in.
Coaching insight
These programs are designed for buyers with strong income and assets whose price point simply sits above standard conforming limits—not just for “ultra-luxury” homes.
Exact FICO, debt-to-income, down payment, and reserve requirements vary by program and investor. Our job is to match your profile to the right structure and set clear expectations up front.
How it’s structured
Once you cross into high-balance or jumbo territory, lenders pay closer attention to down payment, reserves, and how your income supports the payment. The goal is simple: make sure the larger loan still fits comfortably.
The goal is to design a structure that fits your lifestyle, not the other way around. We’ll build side-by-side scenarios so you can see trade-offs clearly.
Property & purpose
High-balance and jumbo programs can support a variety of property types and long-term plans, with guidelines that tighten as risk increases.
Not every program supports every scenario. We’ll start with your goals, then match them to the investor and product menu that fits best.
Quick answers
A quick snapshot of the questions that come up most often when we talk about high-balance conforming, jumbo limits, down payment expectations, and how these loans compare to standard conventional financing.
High-balance conforming loans sit above the standard conforming limit but still fall within an expanded limit in certain higher-cost counties. They’re still conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, just with a higher cap. Jumbo loans exceed the conforming limit for that county and live in the private jumbo market with their own guidelines.
It depends on your credit profile, property type, and loan amount, but it’s common to see jumbo structures starting around 10–20% down or more. Some high-balance conforming scenarios may allow lower down payments. We’ll show you what’s available for your specific profile and price point.
In many cases, yes. Some jumbo programs support second homes and certain investment properties, often with higher down payments, tighter guidelines, and stronger reserve requirements. We’ll review your goals and show which options are available.
Because the loan amounts are larger, investors want to see that you have a cushion if life throws you a curveball. Reserves are verified assets that could cover several months of mortgage payments if needed. They don’t have to be used—they just need to be available in eligible accounts.
It depends on how long you plan to keep the home or the loan. Some buyers prefer the simplicity of a 30-year fixed, while others choose a fixed-period ARM (for example, fixed for 5–10 years) if they know their timeline is shorter. We’ll compare both based on your timeline, risk tolerance, and broader financial plan.
Many jumbo and high-balance programs can consider variable income like bonuses, commissions, and restricted stock units (RSUs), often using a history and average over time. We’ll look at how your income is structured and line it up with the investor that makes the most sense.
Loan limits are typically reviewed each year. As prices move, the conforming and high-balance caps can adjust, which may change where the line between conforming and jumbo falls. Part of our process is checking the current-year limits for your county so you’re working with fresh numbers, not last year’s charts.
We’ll confirm which tier you’re in (conforming, high-balance, or jumbo), walk through down payment and reserve expectations, and design a structure that fits both your dream home and your bigger financial picture. If you’d rather understand the strategy first, you can also start with the High-Balance & Jumbo Guide for a deeper walkthrough.
High-balance conforming and jumbo loans are subject to specific loan limits, investor guidelines, and eligibility requirements that can change over time. Availability varies by county, property type, occupancy, and borrower profile. This page is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit and collateral approval. All loans subject to approval. Equal Housing Lender.