Mortgage Broker in Long Beach, CA - More Options, Better Rates

It depends on the loan program and purchase price. FHA loans require as little as 3.5% down, conventional loans can go as low as 3%, and VA loans offer zero down payment for eligible veterans. On an $800,000 home, that ranges from $0 (VA) to $28,000 (3.5% FHA). There are also down payment assistance programs that can cover part or all of your down payment - I can walk you through which ones you'd qualify for based on your income and situation.

Long Beach is in Los Angeles County, where the 2026 FHA loan limit for a single-family home is $1,249,125. That means most homes in Long Beach - including many single-family properties - qualify for FHA financing with just 3.5% down. FHA loans between $832,750 and $1,249,125 are considered high-balance and may carry a slightly higher rate.

The 2026 conforming loan limit for Los Angeles County is $1,249,125 for a single-family home. Loans under $832,750 get the best conventional pricing, while loans between $832,750 and $1,249,125 are high-balance conforming. Anything above $1,249,125 is a jumbo loan.

Yes, but the condo building needs to be FHA-approved. Several buildings in downtown Long Beach have FHA approval, which means you can purchase with as little as 3.5% down. Not all buildings qualify, though - some have issues with owner-occupancy ratios, HOA financials, or litigation that disqualify them. I keep a running list of which downtown Long Beach buildings are FHA-eligible.

Long Beach buyers have access to several programs: California's Dream For All shared appreciation loan (lottery-based, offers up to 20% down), CalHFA MyHome (deferred-payment assistance up to 3.5%), CalPlus with ZIP closing cost grants, and various lender-specific DPA programs that can cover up to 100% of your down payment on FHA loans. Eligibility depends on income, purchase price, and credit score.

A bank can only offer you their own loan products at their own rates. A mortgage broker like me shops your loan across 150+ wholesale lenders to find the best rate, lowest fees, and most favorable guidelines for your specific situation. That means more options, better pricing, and access to specialized programs - like DPA, non-QM loans, or DSCR loans for investors - that most banks don't carry.

That depends on your income, debts, down payment, and the loan program you use. As a rough starting point, Long Beach's median home price is around $825,000 — and at 5% down, you'd need about $41,250 plus closing costs. But affordability isn't just about the purchase price; it's about finding the right loan structure so your monthly payment actually works. I can run your exact numbers in a quick call.

Closing costs in Long Beach typically run 2-5% of the purchase price, which on an $825,000 home means roughly $16,500 to $41,250. That covers the appraisal, title insurance, escrow fees, and lender charges. Because I shop across 150+ lenders, I can often find options with lender credits that offset some of those costs — sometimes significantly.

Yes — this is one of my specialties. Traditional banks often struggle with self-employed borrowers because tax returns don't always tell the full story. I have access to bank statement loan programs that use 12-24 months of deposits instead of tax returns, plus asset depletion and profit-and-loss programs. The key is finding a lender whose guidelines fit your situation, and that's exactly what broker access is for.

It happens more often than people expect, especially in neighborhoods like Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls where prices have moved fast. You have options: renegotiate the purchase price with the seller, make up the difference in cash, challenge the appraisal with comparable sales data, or in some cases walk away. I've helped clients navigate all of these scenarios — we'll figure out the best move together.