The three sums that decide a California physician purchase
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Most mortgage calculators answer a question California physicians do not have. These are the three that actually move the answer.
Sum one: where conventional stops in your county
| Tier | 2026 one-unit limit | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| High-cost ceiling | $1,249,125 | 10 — Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz |
| Baseline | $832,750 | 41 of 58 |
California has 9 distinct one-unit limits in total. Find yours first — everything else follows from it.
Sum two: how far the programme goes past it
| Your county | Conventional stops | Programme reaches | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-cost | $1,249,125 | $2M | $750,875 |
| Baseline | $832,750 | $2M | $1,167,250 |
Then check your market against both numbers. San Jose's typical $1,527,731 is above the ceiling; San Diego's $930,785 is above its baseline; Sacramento's $574,820 is under. The gap explained.
★ Sum three: the one everybody skips
What your student debt does to the file, which usually matters more than the first two combined.
| Balance | Conventional, 1% (B3-6-05) | FHA, 0.5% (HUD 4000.1) | Physician programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $2,000/mo | $1,000/mo | Your documented IDR payment |
| $300,000 | $3,000/mo | $1,500/mo | |
| $400,000 | $4,000/mo | $2,000/mo |
Those middle columns are phantom obligations — amounts a borrower is not actually paying that nonetheless consume debt-to-income capacity. Against California prices they are usually decisive. The detail.
What arithmetic cannot tell you
Whether the file is approved. Physician programmes are underwritten with lender overlays. Credit, assets, the property and the employment contract all have to stand up, and nothing on this page is a guarantee of approval.
Your actual documented payment. That comes from your servicer, and treatment of a documented $0 payment varies.
Your county's exact limit. There are nine different values; use the published figure for your county, not the tier.
What is not here
No rates, no APRs, no monthly payment figures, anywhere on this site. A payment estimate without a locked rate and a real file behind it is a number people plan around to their cost. Send the scenario and we will run your actual numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much house can a California physician buy?
It depends on the county limit and the student debt treatment. Conventional financing stops at $832,750 in 41 of California's 58 counties and $1,249,125 in ten, while the physician structure reaches $2 million with no monthly PMI.How much does student debt reduce what I can borrow?
Under Fannie Mae B3-6-05 a conventional loan counts 1% of the balance, so $200,000 produces a $2,000 monthly obligation, $300,000 produces $3,000 and $400,000 produces $4,000, regardless of what you actually pay. A physician programme can use the documented income-driven payment instead.Does a calculator tell me if I qualify for a physician loan?
No. Physician programmes are underwritten with lender overlays covering credit, assets, the property and the employment contract. Arithmetic sets a range; it does not approve a file.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or licensure advice. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees, and overlays are set by the lender and change; California loan-repayment program terms and application cycles change too. Confirm your scenario with us and your program administrator. All loans are subject to borrower and property qualification, including credit and income review.