Financing above conforming limits.
Loans larger than the conforming limit, with pricing and guidelines that vary widely between lenders — which is exactly where shopping pays.
Conforming loans follow one rulebook. Jumbo doesn't — every investor sets its own on down payment, reserves, credit and how it treats self-employment. Two lenders can look at the same file and land a long way apart on both approval and price.
On a conforming loan the differences between lenders are modest. On jumbo they're large. Placing the file with the right investor can change the rate materially, and a bank can only ever offer you its own.
Most jumbo programs want months of payments in reserve after closing. It's the requirement that surprises people most often, and it's worth structuring for before you're under contract.
Fifteen minutes and you'll know — including if the answer is a different program entirely.
Anything above the conforming loan limit, which is adjusted annually and varies by county. High-cost areas have higher limits than the national baseline.
Not necessarily. Jumbo pricing sometimes comes in at or below conforming, depending on the investor and your file. It's genuinely worth comparing rather than assuming.
Often 10–20% or more, though it varies more by lender than any other program. Some allow less for strong files.
Fifteen minutes on the phone will tell you more than an hour of reading. No pressure, no obligation.