A jumbo loan in Texas is any mortgage above the 2026 conforming loan limit of $832,750. That jumbo loan threshold is the same in all 254 Texas counties, so any loan above it is jumbo whether the home is in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or a small rural county.
The limit rises for duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes; your down payment can decide which side of the line a purchase lands on, and Texas has its own rules for taking cash out of a jumbo-financed homestead.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 conforming loan limit in Texas is $832,750 for a single-family home in every county. Any loan above it is a jumbo loan.
- Texas limits for multi-unit properties in 2026 are $1,066,250 for 2 units, $1,288,800 for 3 units, and $1,601,750 for 4 units.
- Jumbo loans can’t be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so they follow stricter investor guidelines on credit, debt-to-income ratio, down payment, and reserves.
- On a Texas homestead cash-out refinance, all debt secured by the home can’t exceed 80% of its fair market value.
What Is the Jumbo Loan Limit in Texas for 2026?
A jumbo loan is a conventional mortgage for more than the conforming loan limit set each year by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). For 2026, that limit is $832,750 for a single-family home, up $26,250 from 2025, according to the FHFA’s 2026 loan limit announcement.
Counties where home values run well above that baseline can be designated high-cost, with limits up to $1,249,125. No Texas county carries that designation. Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis, Bexar, and Collin counties all share the same limit as the rest of the state.
2- to 4-Unit Limits in Texas
Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes have higher conforming limits, so the jumbo threshold rises with the number of units. These figures also apply statewide.
| Property Type | 2026 Conforming Loan Limit (All Texas Counties) |
|---|---|
| 1 unit (single-family) | $832,750 |
| 2 units | $1,066,250 |
| 3 units | $1,288,800 |
| 4 units | $1,601,750 |
Source: Fannie Mae 2026 loan limits
A loan above the limit for your property type is a jumbo loan. For how the limit is set and how it has changed over time, see our guide to Texas conforming loan limits.
Why Jumbo Loans Follow Different Rules
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that buy and securitize conventional mortgages, can only buy loans at or under the conforming limit. Jumbo loans are held or securitized by large banks and private investors instead.
Each of those investors writes its own guidelines. Since the investor carries the full risk of a larger loan, those guidelines tend to ask for more, including a lower debt-to-income ratio (DTI), a larger down payment, higher reserves, and a stronger credit profile. For a national overview, see What Is a Jumbo Loan?.
How Do You Qualify for a Jumbo Loan in Texas?
Jumbo loan requirements vary by investor, and our jumbo loan program page has the full detail. These are the areas underwriters look at most closely:
- Credit score. A minimum of 680, with some investors asking for 700 to 740 on larger loan amounts.
- Down payment. As little as 10% on some programs, with the best pricing at 25% down or more.
- Debt-to-income ratio. Often capped around 43%, below the ceilings conforming loans allow.
- Commonly 6 to 12 months of mortgage payments left in your accounts after the down payment and closing costs, and more on larger loans. One of our jumbo investors requires 12 months of payments for every property you own.
- Full documentation of your income and assets.
How Jumbo Loans Relate to Texas Home Prices
Jumbo loans are mostly used for higher-priced homes. Conforming limits tend to sit above the typical home value in a county, which leaves a wide range of homes within reach of a conforming loan.
In Travis County, for example, the typical home value is about $470,000 according to Zillow’s Home Value Index (data through February 2026). That’s well below the conforming limit.
Where Texas Buyers Cross the Jumbo Line
Prices climb well past $1 million in established neighborhoods such as Highland Park and University Park in Dallas, River Oaks and West University Place in Houston, and West Lake Hills outside Austin. Fort Worth has its own pockets, covered in our guide to jumbo and FHA loans in Fort Worth.
At these prices, the down payment often decides whether the loan is conforming or jumbo. On a $1,000,000 purchase:
- 20% down ($200,000) leaves an $800,000 loan, which is conforming.
- $167,250 down (about 16.7%) leaves an $832,750 loan, right at the limit.
- 10% down ($100,000) leaves a $900,000 loan, which is jumbo.
Either route can work. Since jumbo rates can land close to conforming rates, it’s worth pricing both loan amounts before deciding how much to put down.
Current Jumbo Loan Rates in Texas
Jumbo rates are often close to conforming rates and are sometimes lower. Rates move daily, so check today’s numbers below. For the full background, read why jumbo interest rates can be lower than conforming. Three factors keep jumbo pricing in that range.
- Stricter qualifications. Jumbo guidelines are tighter on credit, reserves, debt ratios, and down payment, which makes these loans lower-risk for the investor. Conforming loans often require few or no reserves after closing.
- No guarantee fees. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge guarantee fees (g-fees) on the loans they buy, and those fees are built into conforming rates. Jumbo loans don’t carry them.
- Closer appraisal review. Jumbo lenders rarely offer appraisal waivers, and many require a second review of the appraisal before closing.
View mortgage rates for October 5, 2026
Refinancing a Jumbo Loan in Texas
If you have a jumbo loan now, whether a refinance makes sense depends on your current rate, your balance, and how long you plan to keep the home. Jumbo rate-and-term and cash-out refinances are both available. A cash-out refinance can also pay off higher-interest debt, and a higher rate isn’t automatically a bad trade if your total monthly payments come down.
Texas Cash-Out Rules for Homesteads
Taking cash out of a primary residence in Texas falls under Section 50(a)(6) of the Texas Constitution. Its best-known rule caps all debt secured by the home, including the new loan and any other liens, at 80% of fair market value. The loan also can’t close until at least 12 days after the later of your application or the required state notice.
A rate-and-term refinance of a standard mortgage isn’t subject to these rules. If your current loan is already a Texas home equity loan, refinancing it into a standard rate-and-term loan has its own conditions under Section 50(f)(2), including at least one year since that loan closed and total debt no higher than 80% of the home’s value. You can check today’s daily rates or ask us for a quote on your scenario.
Jumbo Construction Loans in Texas
Building a custom home can push a loan into jumbo territory too. If the construction loan amount is over the conforming limit, it’s a jumbo loan and follows jumbo guidelines for credit, reserves, and down payment. Construction financing adds its own steps, such as builder approval, detailed plans with a cost breakdown, and a draw schedule that releases funds as work is completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a jumbo loan in Texas?
A jumbo loan in Texas is a conventional mortgage above the 2026 conforming loan limit of $832,750 for a single-family home. Because it exceeds the limit set by the FHFA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can’t buy it, so it’s underwritten to private investor guidelines. The limit is the same in every Texas county.
How much do I need to put down to avoid a jumbo loan?
Enough to keep the loan at or under the single-family limit of $832,750. Subtract that limit from the purchase price to find the minimum. On a $1,000,000 home, that’s $167,250, or about 16.7% down. On a $1,200,000 home, it’s $367,250, or about 30.6% down.
Does Texas have high-balance conforming loans?
No. High-balance conforming loans exist only in counties the FHFA designates as high-cost, where the 2026 limit can reach $1,249,125. No Texas county has that designation, so the baseline limit applies statewide and any single-family loan above it is a jumbo loan.
Are jumbo loan rates higher than conforming rates in Texas?
Not necessarily. Jumbo rates are often comparable to conforming rates and are sometimes lower. Jumbo loans don’t carry Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee fees, and their stricter guidelines make them lower-risk for investors. Rates change daily, so ask for a same-day quote on your loan amount.
What’s the difference between a conforming loan and a jumbo loan?
A conforming loan is at or under the limit Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy, which is $832,750 for a single-family home in Texas in 2026. A jumbo loan is above that limit, is held or securitized privately, and has tighter underwriting on credit, debt-to-income ratio, down payment, and reserves.
Does the jumbo loan limit change every year?
Yes. The FHFA resets conforming loan limits each year based on changes in home prices and usually announces the next year’s figures in late November. The 2026 limit of $832,750 is $26,250 higher than the 2025 limit.
Next Steps
Whether you’re buying above the conforming limit, deciding how much to put down, or weighing a jumbo refinance, the right loan comes down to your purchase price, down payment, and the rates available that day. Our team can run the numbers both ways, by phone at (855) 855-4491 or by email at jvmteam@jvmlending.com.
