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VA Loan Limits in San Mateo County, California (2026)

In San Mateo County — anchored by San Mateo County — the 2026 VA county loan limit is $1,249,125 for a single-family home. As a high-cost county, that runs above the $832,750 national baseline.

A key point for San Mateo County and the rest of San Mateo County: full VA entitlement means no loan limit and $0 down. The $1,249,125 figure is a partial-entitlement cap, relevant after a prior VA loan or default.
Property Type2026 FHA Loan Limit
One-unit (single family)$1,249,125
Two-unit (duplex)$1,599,225
Three-unit (triplex)$1,933,200
Four-unit (fourplex)$2,402,475

Buying in San Mateo County with a VA loan

With an estimated local median near $1,500,000, a veteran in San Mateo County can buy with $0 down — VA's signature benefit. The one-time funding fee of about $32,250 (2.15% first use) is usually financed in, and there is no monthly mortgage insurance. At an example 6.25% rate the all-in payment is roughly $10,488/month.

$0-down VA payment scenarios in San Mateo County

What a zero-down VA payment looks like across San Mateo County budgets (no monthly mortgage insurance):

Purchase PriceDownEst. Monthly Payment
Entry-level — $1,080,000$0$7,584
Local median — $1,500,000$0$10,488
Higher-end — $2,025,000$0$14,119

Each payment includes the financed funding fee and California escrows; notably absent is any mortgage insurance, since the VA loan carries none. Rates move daily near San Mateo County — get alerts.

VA multi-unit limits in San Mateo County

San Mateo County's 2026 VA multi-unit caps reach $1,599,225 (duplex), $1,933,200 (triplex), and $2,402,475 (fourplex). Live in one unit, rent the rest, and finance it all with $0 down.

Across San Mateo County and the rest of San Mateo County, eligible veterans, active-duty service members, and surviving spouses can buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance — the core of the VA home-loan benefit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VA loan limit in San Mateo County for 2026?
For veterans with partial entitlement, the 2026 VA limit in San Mateo County is $1,249,125 (one unit), $1,599,225 (duplex), $1,933,200 (triplex), and $2,402,475 (fourplex). With full entitlement there is no limit.
Do I really need $0 down to buy in San Mateo County?
Eligible veterans can buy with no down payment at all. On a median $1,500,000 San Mateo County home that is $0 down, with a one-time funding fee of about $32,250 that is usually financed into the loan.
Does a VA loan have monthly mortgage insurance in San Mateo County?
No. VA loans never charge monthly mortgage insurance (PMI/MIP) — one of the biggest reasons a VA loan is cheaper than FHA or low-down conventional financing.
Is San Mateo County a high-cost VA county?
Yes — San Mateo County's partial-entitlement limit of $1,249,125 is above the $832,750 national baseline.

VA loan limits near San Mateo County