- Jumbo loan
- A mortgage larger than the conforming loan limit, so it cannot be bought by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and is held by the lender or sold privately. Because of that, each lender sets its own rules on credit, down payment and reserves. This calculator labels the loan jumbo when it exceeds the baseline limit.
- Conforming loan limit
- The largest loan Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase, set yearly by the FHFA. The 2026 baseline for a one-unit home is $832,750 (FHFA, 2026); high-cost counties have higher limits, up to $1,249,125 for 2026. This calculator compares your loan with the baseline, so a loan above it may still conform in a high-cost county.
- Loan-to-value ratio (LTV)
- The loan amount divided by the home’s price or appraised value, as a percentage. A $960,000 loan on a $1,200,000 home is 80% LTV. Jumbo lenders often set maximum LTVs by loan size, and a lower LTV generally means better pricing and fewer requirements.
- Down payment
- The cash paid toward the purchase price at closing; the loan covers the rest. Jumbo lenders typically ask for more down than conforming programs — the tooltip notes 10% to 20% is common — and private mortgage insurance is often unavailable on jumbo loans, so the down payment carries more weight.
- Cash reserves
- Liquid funds left after closing, usually measured in months of the full housing payment. Jumbo lenders commonly require several months of reserves, with the number depending on loan size and the borrower’s profile. Reserves are not part of this calculation, but they affect how much cash a jumbo purchase actually requires.
- Principal and interest (P&I)
- The part of the monthly mortgage payment that repays the loan balance and pays interest, based on the loan amount, rate and term. It is the payment this calculator shows. It excludes property tax, homeowners insurance and HOA dues, which on a high-value home can add substantially to the total monthly cost.
- Interest rate
- The annual percentage the lender charges on the outstanding balance, before fees. This calculator divides it by 12 for the monthly rate. Jumbo rates can be slightly higher or lower than conforming rates, depending on the lender and market. On a large balance, even a small rate difference changes the payment noticeably.
- Loan term
- The number of years over which the loan is scheduled to be repaid in full. A longer term lowers each payment but increases total interest, because the balance stays outstanding longer. A shorter term does the reverse: higher payments, less interest overall.
- Total interest
- The sum of all interest paid over the life of the loan if every payment is made on schedule — total of payments minus the loan amount. It excludes fees and closing costs. On a jumbo balance it can exceed the amount borrowed over a 30-year term at higher rates.
