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Your Novato mortgage broker.
From Hamilton to Bel Marin Keys to the hills above Indian Valley, North Bay Capital helps Novato buyers and owners find the right loan. Local guidance, brokered rates, real answers.
Mortgage broker serving Novato, CA
Novato is Marin's largest city and, in many ways, its most attainable. While Mill Valley, Tiburon, and Ross command Marin's headline prices, Novato has long been the place where teachers, firefighters, tech commuters, and growing families can still find a single-family home with a yard. That gap matters for financing: Novato is where Marin's high-cost loan limits actually do work, because plenty of homes here land in the range where FHA, VA, and conforming loans stay in play rather than forcing everyone straight into jumbo territory.
The housing stock is varied and that shapes which loans fit. You'll find 1950s and '60s ranch homes in Pleasant Valley and Bahia, newer construction and townhomes around Hamilton and Vintage Oaks, waterfront properties at Bel Marin Keys, and rural parcels climbing into Indian Valley and the hills toward Big Rock. A first-time buyer eyeing a Hamilton townhome has very different needs than someone refinancing a custom home off Atherton Avenue — and a broker can shop both scenarios across many lenders instead of one bank's menu.
As your Novato mortgage broker, North Bay Capital works from our Santa Rosa office just up the 101, close enough to know this market firsthand. Marin's high-cost FHA and conforming ceilings ($1,249,125 for 2026) mean low-down-payment and conventional options reach further here than almost anywhere else, while genuine jumbo financing is right there when a purchase price climbs past the ceiling. We help you figure out which side of that line you're on — and structure the loan accordingly.
Novato is Marin's most attainable city — the place where the county's high-cost FHA and conforming ceilings actually keep low-down and conventional loans in play instead of forcing everyone into jumbo.
Loans we write most in Novato
The financing that fits this market — tap one to dig into the details.
Neighborhoods and communities we serve
Neighborhoods & communities: Hamilton · Bel Marin Keys · Pleasant Valley · Bahia · Indian Valley · Pacheco Valle · Black Point · San Marin.
Around town: Old Town Novato (Grant Avenue) · Hamilton Field / Air Museum · Stafford Lake Park · Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve · Marin Country Club.
For 2026, Marin County sits at the FHA high-cost ceiling, so the FHA 1-unit limit in Novato is $1,249,125 — the highest in the country — which keeps FHA viable even at Novato's elevated price points.
Home loans in Novato, answered
Can an FHA loan work in a high-cost market like Novato?
Yes. North Bay Capital is a mortgage broker serving Novato and all of Marin County from our Santa Rosa office. Because Marin is a high-cost county, the 2026 FHA 1-unit limit here is $1,249,125, so FHA financing with as little as 3.5% down can work even on many Novato single-family homes.
What's the FHA loan limit for Novato in 2026?
Novato is in Marin County, which sits at the national FHA high-cost ceiling. The 2026 FHA limit for a one-unit home is $1,249,125 — the maximum allowed anywhere in the U.S. That higher ceiling is what makes FHA practical in a pricier market like Marin.
Will I need a jumbo loan to buy in Novato?
It depends on the price. Many Novato homes fall under the $1,249,125 conforming and FHA ceiling, so a conventional or FHA loan may fit. Custom and waterfront homes often price above that, where a jumbo loan is the right tool. We'll tell you exactly which side of the line your purchase lands on.
Can I use a VA loan in Novato?
Absolutely. Given Novato's long military history around Hamilton Field, we work with a lot of veteran buyers here. VA loans offer no-down-payment financing with no monthly mortgage insurance, and Marin's high county limits give qualified borrowers significant purchasing power.
Let's talk about your Novato home loan.
Tell us about your purchase, refinance, or build and we'll map a clear path — payment estimates, the right program, and the documents to gather. No pressure, just a straight answer from a Marin County broker who knows the market.