Mortgage lender in Alameda County, CA

Buying in Alameda County

Alameda County, with its county seat in Oakland, also takes in Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, San Leandro, Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin. Alameda County files are handled by Steve Umansky, Sr. Branch Manager, NMLS #61764, who is licensed in California, from our Southampton, PA office.

2026 conforming limit

$1,249,125 (high-cost area)

2026 FHA limit

$1,249,125 (one-unit, set by HUD)

Above the conforming limit

Jumbo pricing

Closing commonly handled by

escrow and title company

State housing agency

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) (general information; not a participating lender)

Your officer

Steve Umansky, NMLS #61764

2026 limits for a one-unit property. Alameda County is designated a high-cost area for conforming loans, so its limit is above the national baseline of $832,750. Sources: FHFA conforming loan limit values and HUD FHA mortgage limits.

Alameda County: East Bay cities and the Tri-Valley

Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda have older housing, including many two- to four-unit buildings; buying one to live in follows owner-occupant rules, and rent from the other units can sometimes be counted. Several East Bay cities charge their own transfer taxes, some of them substantial, so we check the city before estimating closing costs.

Fremont, Union City and Hayward are single-family suburbs with townhome and condominium communities. Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore, in the Tri-Valley, have newer planned neighborhoods where association dues and special taxes are common. Homes in the hills may face higher insurance costs because of wildfire exposure, so get a quote early.

Alameda County by the numbers

Median home value

$1,090,100 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25077)

Typical property tax

About 0.78% of home value a year: median tax bill $8,474 on a median value of $1,090,100 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B25103)

Transfer tax

County documentary transfer tax of 55 cents per $500 of the price; some cities add their own (California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11911)

Largest communities

Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024, table B01003)

The county median home value is $1,090,100. The 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit here is $1,249,125 and the FHA limit is $1,249,125.

Census figures are survey estimates for owner-occupied homes, not appraisals or tax quotes. We use the actual tax bill for the property when we quote.

Closing and programs in California

Closings in California are typically handled by an escrow and title company. The closing process, state transfer and recording taxes and first-time buyer programs are covered on the California page. Property taxes are set locally; we take the figure from the tax record for the address.

Questions Alameda County buyers ask

California notice. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license. Stellar Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2190975.

Limits shown are the 2026 FHFA and HUD figures for Alameda County. Loan limits, tax rates and agency programs are set by third parties and change. Not a commitment to lend.