CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program.
The flagship CalHFA program. A deferred-payment junior loan up to 3.5% of the purchase price (or appraised value, whichever is less) for down payment and/or closing costs. The MyHome second mortgage carries 0% interest and is repaid only at sale, refinance, or loan payoff. Pairs with CalHFA FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgages. Income limits scale by county; typically $145K-$210K in expensive coastal metros, lower in inland counties.
MyHome is the workhorse — it's the first program we model on virtually every CalHFA-eligible file.
CalHFA Forgivable Equity Builder Loan.
The newer, more generous option for very-low-income first-time buyers. Up to 10% of the purchase price as a forgivable second mortgage — fully forgiven after 5 years of owner occupancy. Income limits are significantly tighter than MyHome (typically 80% of AMI). For buyers who qualify, this is the most powerful DPA in California by a wide margin.
CalHFA Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan.
A unique structure: CalHFA provides up to 20% down payment assistance in exchange for a share of the home's future appreciation upon sale. Buyer pays nothing during ownership; CalHFA recoups its assistance plus a proportional slice of appreciation when the home sells. Capped allocations; opens periodically when funded. We notify clients when allocation windows open.
GSFA Platinum Program.
A non-CalHFA alternative running through Golden State Finance Authority. Offers DPA grants (not repayable) of 3-5% of the loan amount, paired with FHA, VA, or conventional first mortgages. Less restrictive income/asset rules than CalHFA in some configurations. Good fit for buyers who exceed CalHFA income limits but still need DPA.
Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC).
A federal tax credit (not a deduction) of up to 20% of mortgage interest paid annually, every year for the life of the loan. Issued by CalHFA. Effectively reduces your annual federal tax bill by hundreds or thousands of dollars annually. Can be combined with MyHome or other CalHFA programs.
VA Loans In California.
California has 1.8 million veterans — the largest veteran population in the U.S. Major installations: Camp Pendleton, Naval Base San Diego, MCAS Miramar, Travis AFB, Naval Base Coronado, Vandenberg SFB. The 2026 baseline VA loan limit is $832,750; most major coastal counties (LA, Orange, SF, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Diego) hit the high-cost ceiling of $1,249,125. Full-entitlement veterans buy at any price with $0 down.
Jumbo & Non-QM In California.
Above the $1.25M ceiling, California runs the deepest jumbo market in America. Our portfolio bench has appetite for tech-employee files (with RSU-heavy compensation), Asian-investor files (with foreign-asset documentation), and entertainment-industry files (with multi-stream creative income). Pledged-asset programs are routinely used in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.