Sacramento Home Mortgage Loans | The Chris Kennedy Team
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Sacramento Housing Blog

Sacramento Housing Blog

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Why Buying a Home is the Best Investment

Welcome to The Chris Kennedy Team Mortgage Blog

Honest, local, easy-to-understand mortgage guidance for buyers and homeowners across Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties.

Hi — I'm Chris Kennedy. For years, I've helped first-time buyers, veterans, families upsizing into their forever homes, and seasoned investors navigate one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives: getting a mortgage in the greater Sacramento area.

This blog exists for one simple reason. Most mortgage advice online is generic, confusing, or written by people who've never closed a loan in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, or Davis. I wanted to change that.

Every post on this site is written for you — the buyer, homeowner, or veteran trying to make sense of mortgages in a real Northern California market. Real numbers. Real neighborhoods. Real programs that actually work here.

What you'll find on this blog

Whether you're brand new to homebuying or you've owned for decades, you'll find practical, local guidance on every part of the mortgage process. The articles below cover:

For first-time buyers — How to qualify, how much you really need to put down, how to use CalHFA assistance, and how to stop waiting and start owning.

For veterans, active-duty service members, and surviving spouses — Everything you need to know about putting your VA home loan benefit to work in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, and beyond. Zero down. No PMI. The benefit you earned.

For move-up buyers and luxury buyers — Jumbo loan strategies for higher-priced markets like El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Serrano, and Bass Lake — including how to qualify, what reserves you'll need, and how to compete in luxury bidding wars.

For investors and wealth-builders — How to use FHA multi-family loans (yes, with just 3.5% down) to "house hack" your first investment property, plus the long-term wealth-building strategy that real estate quietly delivers better than almost any other investment.

For buyers in rural and semi-rural areas — A breakdown of USDA loans across Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties, where surprisingly large portions of the region qualify for $0-down financing.

For credit-building buyers — How FHA loans help buyers with imperfect credit get into Sacramento-area homes, plus practical credit improvement strategies that actually move the needle.

Why this blog is different

Three things set this content apart:

It's local. Every article names real neighborhoods, real Sacramento-area home prices, and real programs available in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties — not vague national advice.

It's honest. I tell you what works, what doesn't, what the catches are, and when a loan isn't right for you. No high-pressure pitches. No fine print buried at the bottom.

It's actionable. Every post is built so that by the end, you know what to do next — whether that's running numbers, checking eligibility, or starting a conversation.

A little about me

I've spent my career helping Sacramento-area families navigate mortgages — through every kind of market, every kind of loan, and every kind of buyer situation. I've helped:

  • First-time buyers close with $0–$5,000 out of pocket using FHA + CalHFA strategies

  • Veterans buy in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills with zero down

  • Move-up families step into luxury markets using jumbo financing

  • Investors build long-term wealth through smart house-hacking and refinance strategies

  • Self-employed borrowers other lenders turned away find creative solutions

My team and I serve the entire greater Sacramento region, including:

  • Sacramento County — Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Antelope, Natomas

  • Placer County — Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Loomis, Granite Bay

  • El Dorado County — El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Placerville, Diamond Springs, Pollock Pines

  • Yolo County — Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento, Winters, Esparto

If you're buying anywhere in Northern California, there's a good chance we can help.

Start exploring

Scroll down to find articles tailored to your situation. If you're not sure where to begin, here are three good starting points:

Ready to talk?

Reading is great — but a 15-minute conversation will tell you more about what's possible for your specific situation than any article ever could. No pressure, no obligation, no salesy follow-up calls.

Chris Kennedy | The Chris Kennedy Team NMLS# 971546 Mortgage Lender serving Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties www.thechriskennedyteam.com

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The Chris Kennedy Team specializes in FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, and CalHFA loans throughout Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Davis, Woodland, Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin, Cameron Park, and the surrounding Northern California region. Browse the articles below to learn more — or reach out anytime.

Non-Warrantable Condo Loans in Sacramento

With a condo, the lender approves two things. You, and the building. A non-warrantable condo is a unit in a project that does not meet Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac standards, so a standard conventional loan is off the table even if your credit and income are spotless. You can still buy one. You just need a different kind of loan, and you need to find out early.

This shows up in downtown and Midtown Sacramento lofts, older complexes around Arden and Campus Commons, mixed use buildings, and resort style condos up the hill toward Tahoe.

What Makes a Condo Non-Warrantable

Fannie Mae lists the deal breakers in its Selling Guide. A project is generally ineligible when:

  • More than 35% of the space is commercial or nonresidential.

  • One owner or entity holds more than 20% of the units in a project with 21 or more units.

  • It operates like a hotel, with a front desk or daily rentals.

  • The HOA is in a lawsuit over safety, structural soundness, or habitability.

  • The building needs critical repairs or has material deficiencies.

  • There are unfunded repairs of more than $10,000 per unit.

The HOA's finances get checked too. Under the full review standards:

  • No more than 15% of units can be 60 or more days behind on dues.

  • The budget must put at least 10% toward reserves.

None of this is about you. A buyer with an 800 score can get turned down because the HOA skipped its reserve contributions.

How You Find Out

The lender sends the HOA a condo questionnaire. The answers, plus the budget and insurance documents, decide whether the project passes.

The problem is timing. That questionnaire often comes back a week or two into escrow. By then you have paid for an inspection and maybe an appraisal.

The fix is simple. Ask for the project review to start the day your offer is accepted. Better yet, have your agent ask the listing agent these questions before you write:

  • Is the HOA in any litigation?

  • Are there any special assessments, current or planned?

  • How many units are rentals, and does one owner hold a big block?

  • Have other buyers closed with conventional loans recently?

Your Options If the Condo Is Non-Warrantable

  • Non-QM or portfolio loans. Some lenders keep these loans on their own books and set their own project rules. Expect a larger down payment and a higher rate than a standard conventional loan.

  • A different loan program. FHA and VA have their own condo approval processes. A project that fails one test may pass another.

  • Wait for the fix. If the issue is a lawsuit that is about to settle or a repair that is nearly done, the project may qualify again soon.

  • Walk. If the building has real structural or money problems, the loan denial may be doing you a favor.

A mortgage broker has an edge here because one lender's no is not every lender's no. Different lenders have different appetites for condo projects.

Why Non-Warrantable Is Not Always a Red Flag

Some of these triggers have nothing to do with a bad building. A beautiful mixed use project with shops on the ground floor can trip the commercial space limit. A new building where the developer still owns a lot of units can trip the single owner limit.

Other triggers deserve real caution. Deferred repairs, thin reserves, and safety lawsuits can turn into special assessments, and those land on the owners. Read the HOA documents like you are buying into a small business. You are.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a non-warrantable condo? It is a condo in a project that does not meet Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac project standards. Standard conventional loans are not available for it, though other loan types may be.

Can you get a mortgage on a non-warrantable condo in Sacramento? Often yes, through non-QM or portfolio lenders. Terms vary by lender and by the reason the project is ineligible. Expect a larger down payment and a higher rate than a standard loan.

How do you know if a condo is warrantable? The lender reviews the HOA questionnaire, budget, and insurance. Ask your lender to start that review right after your offer is accepted, or ask the key questions before you write the offer.

Does HOA litigation always make a condo non-warrantable? No. Fannie Mae's concern is pending litigation tied to safety, structural soundness, habitability, or functional use. Minor matters can qualify for an exception.

Is a non-warrantable condo a bad investment? Not automatically. Some projects are ineligible for technical reasons like commercial space. Others have real financial or repair problems. The reason matters more than the label.

Found a condo you love and worried about the building? Call or text (916) 794-0777 or visit thechriskennedyteam.com. Get the project looked at before you spend money on inspections. The Chris Kennedy Team at Reliant Lending serves Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado counties. NMLS #971546. Company NMLS #356310. This is general education and not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines.

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