FHA home loans in California
Last reviewed November 1, 2026. This page is not an offer of credit.
We’re a mortgage broker and lender based in Riverside. We use FHA loans as fixed-rate options when the file fits. The Federal Housing Administration insures the loan. A lender provides the money. We are not part of the FHA, and the FHA does not endorse us.
What you have to qualify for
HUD’s rules decide the program, not a marketing checklist. In plain terms, the lender still has to see that you can repay, that you’ll live in the home, and that an appraisal supports the purchase. Credit standards start with HUD, and then the lender adds its own review. Income and debts are part of that review. This page does not state a score, a down payment, or a rate.
California doesn’t have one statewide FHA dollar cap. HUD publishes a limit for each county, and for one-unit through four-unit properties. Riverside County and San Bernardino County aren’t the same row as San Francisco or Los Angeles. Until the 2027 release is out, we will not type a county number from memory.
Mortgage insurance
An FHA loan uses FHA mortgage insurance, an upfront cost and an annual cost. It is not conventional private mortgage insurance, and it does not drop off on the same schedule. Whether it lasts the whole term depends on the loan. We will say which rule applies to your file. We will not quote the premium here.
FHA or a conventional loan
Neither is the default. A conventional loan can fit a buyer who does not want FHA mortgage insurance. An FHA loan can fit a buyer whose credit or cash looks different. We compare the two as fixed-rate choices. The comparison belongs on a Loan Estimate, not in a slogan.
Cash to close
Gift funds can be used when the source is allowed and the paperwork is right. Ask us about down payment options. We are not approved for the state or county assistance programs people often ask about by name, so those names are not on this page. You can talk with us in Riverside in English, Spanish, or Arabic.
The shorter description, without the California limit note, is on the FHA home loan page.
Questions
What credit score do I need for an FHA loan?
HUD publishes the program standards, and each lender adds its own review. We will not print a score on this page. Tell us your situation and we'll say whether an FHA file is even worth opening.
What is the FHA limit in Riverside County?
It's a county figure that HUD publishes, and it changes when HUD issues the next year's table. The 2027 table wasn't out on November 1, 2026. We will not guess the Inland Empire number. We'll update this page when HUD publishes it.
Can I use gift funds?
FHA allows documented gifts from sources the program accepts. The gift has to be documented the way HUD requires. Ask us before you move the money.
Does FHA mortgage insurance ever end?
Sometimes, and sometimes it lasts for the life of the loan. It depends on the terms HUD ties to that loan. We explain your file on a Loan Estimate. This page does not quote a cutoff.
Can I buy a two-to-four unit property?
FHA can cover a one-to-four unit property if you live in one unit and the property qualifies. You have to live there. We do not quote a down payment for that.
Is an FHA loan only for first-time buyers?
No. You can have owned a home before. The home you're buying still has to be your primary residence.