Berkeley, CA
Berkeley home loans, built for Berkeley's market.
From high-balance and jumbo financing to move-up and refinance, we structure the loan around Berkeley's price points — not a one-size template.
Berkeley home loans, the honest version.
Berkeley is anchored by UC Berkeley — the largest employer in the city and East Bay — producing a supply-constrained, high-cost market with durable demand from the university, research, and Bay Area professionals.
That market shapes the loan. Because Alameda County is a high-cost area, the 2026 one-unit conforming limit is $1,249,125 — above the national baseline. So many Berkeley buyers use high-balance or jumbo financing — and knowing exactly where your purchase lands against that $1,249,125 line is half the work. Limits per FHFA 2026; verify your scenario with us.
We work Berkeley from the ground up — close to UC Berkeley and the Campanile. We finance homes across Elmwood, Claremont, Northbrae, and West Berkeley — and every other corner of Berkeley. Looking for a mortgage broker near you in Berkeley? We serve the area by phone and online, so you get a local-market broker without driving to an office.
What you get with a local broker.
Berkeley market knowledge
Near UC Berkeley and the Campanile, across Elmwood, Claremont, Northbrae — we know how Berkeley prices and programs actually work.
High-balance & jumbo ready
Berkeley runs among the priciest in California — we structure jumbo, high-balance financing around its price points.
Lenders shopped for you
As a broker we put many lenders in competition for your Berkeley file — not one bank's shelf.
Owner-handled
Owner Esther Buede guides your Berkeley loan personally — the named expert behind our five-star reviews.
One owner, handling your whole loan.
In Berkeley, your loan is handled personally by owner Esther Buede — a licensed mortgage expert (individual NMLS #2003644) who has guided California families to the closing table since 2005. Not a call center, not a rotating cast — one expert who knows your file and your market. Meet the family behind CHM →
“Closed in 8 days. I never knew a home refinance could happen so quickly and painlessly!”
Matched to your Berkeley purchase, not a template.
For Berkeley we lean on jumbo, high-balance — but whatever fits, we shop it: FHA, conventional, jumbo, VA, and non-QM. Start when you’re ready: buying, refinancing, or just exploring — apply here or call (949) 522-7310.
Close to Berkeley, we also help buyers in Oakland, Richmond, Alameda. See all California cities we serve →
Choice Home Mortgage is a licensed California mortgage broker — NMLS #2629064, CA DRE #01822046. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Berkeley mortgage questions, answered.
What's the 2026 conforming loan limit in Berkeley?
In Alameda County, the 2026 conforming loan limit is $1,249,125 for a single-family home — a high-cost figure above the national baseline. Limits per FHFA 2026; verify your scenario with us.
Do I need a jumbo loan to buy in Berkeley?
Not always. Many Berkeley homes can be financed with high-balance conforming loans up to $1,249,125 before a true jumbo is needed. We'll tell you which fits your price point.
Which Berkeley neighborhoods do you serve?
We serve buyers across Berkeley, including Elmwood, Claremont, Northbrae. Financing works the same citywide — the loan is matched to you, not the ZIP code.
Are you a licensed mortgage broker in Berkeley?
Yes. Choice Home Mortgage is a licensed California mortgage broker (NMLS #2629064, CA DRE #01822046) serving Berkeley and the surrounding area.
Do you serve areas near Berkeley?
Yes — we also work with buyers in nearby Oakland, Richmond, Alameda. Same process, local loan-limit details for each.
Let's finance your Berkeley home.
One call with the owner — local, honest, no pressure. We'll tell you which program fits your Berkeley purchase and shop the lenders for you.