South OC · Service Area
Your Mortgage Lender in Aliso Viejo
Aliso Viejo is where a lot of South Orange County first-time buyers actually get in — a newer city with a deep supply of condos and townhomes at attainable price points. Cris Pacheco helps Aliso Viejo buyers navigate low-down-payment programs and, critically, HOA project approval on condo purchases.
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Buying or refinancing in Aliso Viejo
Condo financing has a second borrower nobody mentions: the building. Lenders review owner-occupancy ratios, reserve funding, insurance, and litigation status, and a project that fails review kills the loan no matter how strong your file is. Checking the HOA before you write an offer is the single most valuable thing a lender does in this market.
Aliso Viejo's population skews toward younger professionals — often with RSUs, bonus income, recent job changes, or side businesses. Each of those complicates income documentation in ways a rushed pre-qual will get wrong and a real underwriting review gets right.
The city being newer means less deferred-maintenance risk than older OC tracts, but nearly universal HOA dues. Those dues count in your ratios, so the real question is never just list price — it's total monthly cost.
Who you would be working with
Cris Pacheco is a mortgage loan officer serving Aliso Viejo and all of Orange County with EZ Fundings Home Loans, Inc., a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and USC Marshall School of Business alum, licensed under NMLS #1961452 (company NMLS #1156892). Verify his license independently at NMLS Consumer Access. Se habla español.
Aliso Viejo loan limits and price breakpoints for 2026
Orange County is a federally designated high-cost area, so it sits at the national ceiling for both conforming and FHA lending. Which tier your loan amount falls into changes your pricing and your guidelines more than almost any other single factor.
Conforming
Up to $832,750
Best available pricing. Standard Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac terms.
High-balance conforming
$832,751 to $1,249,125
Still agency-backed, but priced slightly above the baseline tier. Available because Orange County is a high-cost area.
Jumbo
Above $1,249,125
Portfolio and private-investor money. Guidelines, reserve requirements and pricing vary widely between investors, which is why shopping the file matters most here.
The highest price you can buy before your loan becomes a jumbo
What determines your tier is the loan amount, not the purchase price. More money down means a higher price while still keeping agency financing. These are the exact breakpoints at the 2026 Orange County ceiling of $1,249,125.
| Down payment | Max price, best-priced tier | Max price before jumbo |
|---|---|---|
| FHA, 3.5% down | $862,953 | $1,294,430 |
| Conventional, 5% down | $876,579 | $1,314,868 |
| Conventional, 10% down | $925,278 | $1,387,917 |
| Conventional, 20% down | $1,040,938 | $1,561,406 |
| Conventional, 25% down | $1,110,333 | $1,665,500 |
Breakpoints are calculated from the 2026 Orange County limits: baseline conforming $832,750, high-balance conforming and FHA ceiling $1,249,125. A Veteran with full entitlement has no VA loan limit, so these breakpoints do not apply to VA financing. Figures are for one-unit properties and exclude closing costs and financed FHA upfront mortgage insurance. For an exact number on your scenario, ask.
Loan programs that fit Aliso Viejo
Aliso Viejo mortgage questions
+Why do lenders review the HOA when I buy an Aliso Viejo condo?
Because the building's financial health affects the loan's risk. Lenders look at owner-occupancy percentage, reserves, insurance, and litigation. If a project isn't warrantable, your conventional loan options shrink — so we verify the HOA before you're under contract.
+Can I use bonus or RSU income to qualify?
Often yes, with the right history and documentation. Bonus income usually needs a two-year track record; RSUs depend on vesting schedules and lender guidelines. This is exactly where a full pre-approval beats a 10-minute pre-qual.
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