VA loans in Monterey.
The Monterey County figure on this page is a county reference only, not an address-based lookup for Monterey. Confirm the property's county, and which local offices serve the address, before relying on it.
Monterey County reference value. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties.
Source: FHFA Full County Loan Limit List for 2026 (HERA-based, final). One-unit limit; applies to mortgages acquired in calendar year 2026. Source checked 2026-09-16. · Monterey County (FIPS 06053)
County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. Look the property's county up at FHFA.
What the county figure means here.
A borrower with full VA entitlement does not have a VA loan limit, subject to lender approval, ability to repay, and the appraised value or purchase price. The FHFA one-unit county conforming loan limit matters primarily when calculating remaining bonus entitlement for a borrower who does not have full entitlement, and it may affect whether a down payment is required.
Monterey County carries a $994,750 one-unit conforming loan limit value for 2026, and that is the county figure we reference for Monterey. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. Whichever county your property is in, the value is used in remaining-entitlement calculations — including on a 2–4 unit property — and is not a cap on what a fully-entitled buyer can finance.
Planning around BAH? Rates vary by pay grade, dependency status, and ZIP-based Military Housing Area — verify yours on the official DoD BAH calculator.
This site does not publish current rates or APRs. Your rate and terms depend on your credit profile, income and assets, the property, market conditions, lock timing, points or lender credits, underwriting, and final lender approval. Request a personalized quote from Bolt Home Loans LLC.
Estimate a payment with your own rate assumptionCity of Monterey: one building application, a separate encroachment permit for sewer laterals
The City of Monterey's Building and Safety plan submittal page says complete applications may be emailed, and staff then contact the applicant with fee information. One Building Permit Application covers re-roofs, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and solar PV work, as well as other residential and commercial projects. Work in the public right-of-way uses a separate Encroachment Permit Application. Examples include sewer line replacements, driveways, retaining walls and sidewalks.
Practical step: if a seller says the sewer lateral or driveway was replaced, ask for the encroachment permit as well as any building permit. They are different City approvals. The page also says project checklists must accompany the building application, and completing them speeds plan review.
Monterey County change of ownership: file the PCOR at recording
The Monterey County Assessor says state law requires the buyer to file a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with the County Recorder when the purchase is recorded. If it is not filed, the Recorder charges an extra $20. The information helps the Assessor decide whether a change in ownership occurred and the property's market value.
If the report is missing or incomplete, the Assessor mails the buyer a Change in Ownership Statement. Failing to return a required statement within 90 days of a written request can bring a penalty of $100 or 10 percent of the taxes on the new base-year value, whichever is greater, subject to caps. Practical step: confirm your escrow officer files the report, and answer any Assessor statement promptly.
- FHFA — Conforming loan limit values
- City of Monterey Building and Safety — Plan Submittal
- County of Monterey Assessor — Change of Ownership
- VA — Home loan entitlement and limits
Sources checked 2026-09-24. Educational information only, not legal, tax or underwriting advice.
VA loan programs available in CA.
$0 down in Monterey. No PMI.
Lower your rate. Minimal paperwork.
Up to 100% LTV — conventional caps at 80%.
$0 down above conforming.
Finance repairs into your purchase.
Roll energy upgrades into the loan.
Widows and widowers of CA veterans qualify.
Zero down, no PMI, and a 100% funding-fee waiver on a home in Monterey, subject to eligibility verification and Certificate of Eligibility issuance.
Surviving spouse guideDisabled veteran? Stack the SAH grant on your Monterey purchase.
Up to $126,526 in FY 2026 toward a VA-approved plan to acquire, construct, or adapt a suitable home. VA approves eligibility and use; the grant is separate from your VA home loan.
SAH grant guideVA loans in Monterey — answered.
FHFA sets conforming loan limit values by county, not by city, and there is no single published figure for a city as such. The county we reference for Monterey is Monterey County (FIPS 06053), whose official 2026 one-unit value is $994,750 per the FHFA Full County Loan Limit List. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. The figure only matters for remaining-entitlement calculations — with full entitlement there is no VA loan limit, subject to lender approval, ability to repay and appraised value.
BAH varies by pay grade, dependency status, and ZIP-based Military Housing Area, and DoD updates rates annually. Check your exact rate on the official DoD BAH calculator. Lenders may count BAH as qualifying income, subject to underwriting.
A VA-eligible borrower with full entitlement may be able to pursue a primary-residence purchase in Monterey with no down payment and no monthly PMI. Eligibility, credit, income, the VA appraisal, and final lender approval all apply, and closing costs and prepaids are still due.
An unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability may qualify for the full VA benefit in Monterey — zero down, no PMI, and a 100% funding-fee waiver, subject to eligibility verification.