Beverly Hills real estate operates in a financial category of its own. With a median sold price of $4,850,000 — more than ten times the national median of $412,400 — nearly every transaction in the 90210 zip code requires a fundamentally different approach to financing than what most buyers have experienced before. The conforming loan limits that govern standard mortgages are crossed before you've even scratched the surface of what's available here. The lenders are different. The underwriting is different. And the strategies that close deals at this level are ones most retail mortgage officers have never encountered.
This guide breaks down exactly what you need to know to finance a Beverly Hills home in 2026 — from jumbo loan thresholds and down payment requirements, to how private banks structure deals for ultra-high-net-worth buyers, and what to look for in the professionals who will guide you through it.
Understanding the Beverly Hills Market in 2026
Before discussing financing, it helps to understand the market you're entering.
Beverly Hills is broadly divided into two submarkets: the Flats (the level area between Wilshire and Sunset) and the Hills (the Beverly Hills Post Office area). Both are expensive by any measure, but the Hills command a significant premium at the ultra-luxury tier.
As of Q1 2026, the market looks like this:
| Metric | Beverly Hills | National (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sold Price | $4,850,000 | $412,400 |
| Median List Price | $5,750,000 | $394,933 |
| Avg. Days on Market | 52 Days | 31 Days |
One median-priced home in Beverly Hills is equivalent in cost to approximately 11.7 median-priced homes across the rest of the United States. In hyper-local pockets like the "Beverly Hills Gateway," median home values exceed $10,800,000.
The market is currently bifurcated: turnkey homes priced under $3.5 million tend to move in under 40 days, while ultra-luxury estates above $8 million require longer marketing periods and strategic off-market networking. Median list prices have dipped slightly from approximately $6.2M in 2025 to $5.75M in early 2026 — a period of stabilization, not a crash.
The practical implication for buyers: you need to be financially ready to move quickly at the lower luxury tier, and financially sophisticated enough to navigate private banking structures at the upper end.
What Is a Jumbo Loan — and Why It's the Default Here
In most of the country, buyers can access conforming loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These loans follow standardized guidelines and are easier to qualify for. But they have a ceiling. Once a loan exceeds that ceiling, it becomes a jumbo loan — and the rules change entirely.
For 2026, the conforming loan limit in Los Angeles County (a federally designated "high-cost" area) is $1,249,125. The national baseline is $806,500. Any mortgage above $1,249,125 is a jumbo loan.
Given that the Beverly Hills median sold price is $4,850,000, a buyer putting 20% down would need a loan of approximately $3,880,000 — more than three times the jumbo threshold. In practical terms, virtually every residential purchase in 90210 requires jumbo financing.
What makes jumbo loans different:
- They cannot be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so lenders carry the risk themselves
- Underwriting requirements are significantly stricter
- Rates are slightly higher, though the spread has narrowed in 2026 as banks compete for high-net-worth clients
- Many require two independent appraisals rather than one
Current rates (April 2026):
| Loan Type | Rate Range |
|---|---|
| Conforming 30-Year Fixed | ~6.25% – 6.50% |
| Jumbo 30-Year Fixed | ~6.75% – 7.125% |
One notable exception: private banks and portfolio lenders may offer jumbo rates that match or beat conforming rates for borrowers who agree to move significant assets — typically $500,000 or more — into the bank's management. This "wealth gap discount" is one of the defining features of high-end lending in Beverly Hills.
Down Payments: What You Actually Need
The 20% down payment is the standard baseline for most Beverly Hills transactions, but the actual requirement shifts considerably depending on how much you're borrowing.
$2.5M – $3M loan (entry-level jumbo): 10% down is available for borrowers with 760+ credit scores, though it typically comes with a higher rate or larger reserve requirement.
Most Beverly Hills purchases: 20% down eliminates the need for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and opens up the widest range of lender options.
Loans exceeding $5M: Lenders generally require 25% – 35% down. At this tier, lower leverage is considered essential given the risk of high-value property fluctuations.
$10M+ ("Super Jumbo"): Down payments of 30% – 50% in cash are common. Alternatively, lenders may accept "pledged assets" — stocks, other real estate, or a brokerage portfolio — as collateral in lieu of a full cash down payment, in some cases enabling 100% financing with no cash out of pocket.
Does a larger down payment actually help?
Yes, in measurable ways. Moving from 20% to 30% down can shave 0.125% to 0.25% off your interest rate. More importantly, a larger down payment can rescue a deal if your debt-to-income ratio is borderline — lenders are more willing to grant exceptions on DTI if you have significant equity coming in. It also provides a buffer against appraisal volatility, which is a real risk in Beverly Hills where comparable sales can be sparse and appraised values occasionally come in below the purchase price.
Credit and Underwriting Requirements
In the jumbo market, lenders don't just look at your credit score — they perform a holistic review of your financial life. Here's what they're evaluating.
Credit score thresholds:
- Minimum floor: 700 – 720
- To access competitive rates (under 7%) and lower down payment options: 740 – 760
- For loans above $5M: 760+ expected; some lenders will manually underwrite for exceptional borrowers with lower scores caused by high utilization, not payment history
Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio:
- Standard cap: 43%
- Preferred for loans over $3M: 36% – 38%
- Exceptions possible with 30%+ down payment or significant assets
Liquid reserve requirements:
This is where many Beverly Hills buyers face the most scrutiny. Reserves are the liquid cash you have left after the down payment and closing costs — not part of it. Monthly PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance) on a $4M Beverly Hills home can easily exceed $30,000, which is why reserve requirements are substantial:
| Loan Amount | Reserve Requirement |
|---|---|
| Up to $1.5M | 6 months of PITI |
| $1.5M – $2.5M | 12 months of PITI |
| $2.5M – $5M | 18 – 24 months of PITI |
| $10M+ | 36 months or a specific asset-to-loan ratio |
Not all assets count equally. Cash and savings count at 100% of face value. Publicly traded stocks and bonds are typically "haircut" to 60% – 80% of value to account for market volatility. Retirement accounts (401k/IRA) count at 50% – 70% if you're under 59½, or up to 100% if you're over that threshold.
Non-Traditional Income: How High-Net-Worth Buyers Qualify
Many Beverly Hills buyers don't fit the standard W-2 borrower profile. Lenders in this market have specialized departments to handle complex income structures.
Asset Depletion / Asset Amortization
If you have high liquidity but low taxable income — common among retirees, founders post-liquidity event, or long-term investors — lenders can convert your assets into "qualifying income" using this formula:
(Eligible Assets − Down Payment − Required Reserves) ÷ 360 = Monthly Qualifying Income
Some private banks use an age-based variation, dividing assets by the number of years until age 85 rather than a fixed 360 months, which produces a higher monthly income figure and helps with DTI.
Business Ownership and K-1 Income
Lenders require two years of personal and business tax returns (Form 1040, 1120-S, or 1065), a year-to-date Profit & Loss statement signed by a CPA, and evidence that the business has sufficient retained earnings. Large one-time write-offs like depreciation are often "added back" to income to improve your DTI calculation.
Trust Income
Lenders review the full trust agreement to confirm it is irrevocable and that distributions will continue for at least three years. Discretionary trusts are much harder to use for qualifying income, in which case the asset depletion method typically becomes the path forward.
RSU Income (Common for Tech Executives)
RSUs count toward qualifying income if there is a two-year history of receipt and the company is publicly traded. Lenders typically take a two-year average of vested value to calculate monthly income.
Special Buyer Scenarios: LLC, Foreign National, and Trust Purchases
Beverly Hills attracts buyers with complex legal and financial structures. Here's how lenders approach the most common non-standard scenarios.
LLC and Entity Purchases
Many buyers at the $10M+ level purchase via an LLC or trust for privacy and estate planning reasons. Ultra-luxury portfolio lenders — JPMorgan Private Bank, Citi Private Bank, Wells Fargo Private Bank — are specifically set up to vet these structures. Standard retail lenders often decline them entirely. If you're planning an entity purchase, the choice of lender is as important as the choice of property.
Foreign National Buyers
HSBC Private Bank is a top choice for international buyers or those with assets held in overseas accounts, as they can underwrite based on global wealth profiles. For foreign nationals, expect additional documentation requirements around source of funds and asset verification.
Trust-Held Properties
Beyond qualifying income, financing a property held in trust requires the lender to review the full trust agreement, confirm the trustee's authority, and obtain two years of Form 1041 (U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts). Revocable trusts are workable; discretionary trusts require more structuring.
California-Specific Legal Considerations
A few California-specific factors that affect Beverly Hills transactions directly:
- ULA "Mansion Tax": Properties in the City of Los Angeles (which borders Beverly Hills-adjacent areas) face a 4.4% transfer tax on sales above $5.1M and a 5.7% tax above $10.3M. Typically a seller cost, but it factors into negotiations.
- Prop 19 (Tax Base Portability): If you are 55+, severely disabled, or a wildfire victim, you may be able to transfer your existing California property tax base to a new Beverly Hills home, regardless of price difference — a potentially significant savings.
- Two-Appraisal Rule: Most California private lenders require two independent appraisals for loans exceeding $3M. If the two values differ by more than 5% – 10%, a third desk review or appraisal may be triggered.
- SB 1402 (2026): This recent bill streamlines property tax appeals for homes under $2.5M, but most Beverly Hills estates exceed that threshold, meaning tax assessments remain a slow-moving legal process that lenders factor into your PITI.
Creative and Alternative Financing Options
Private Banking Portfolio Loans
At the $10M+ tier, the most favorable financing terms rarely come from retail banks. They come from private banks that keep the loan on their own balance sheets — known as portfolio lenders. Because they don't sell these loans to investors, they can write their own rules: interest-only periods, flexible DTI, and customized rate structures.
The most active portfolio lenders in Beverly Hills as of 2026:
- JPMorgan Chase (First Republic Successor): Market leader for high-net-worth borrowers; specializes in asset depletion and cross-collateralization; offers interest-only periods in exchange for AUM relationships
- City National Bank ("Bank to the Stars"): The most localized player, known for handling royalty streams, production deals, and multi-entity business owners
- Wells Fargo Private Bank (Custom Credit Group): Highly active for loans over $10M; one of the few willing to consider cross-collateralization using other real estate or stock portfolios
- Citi Private Bank: Known for tailored lending for hedge fund income and international trust distributions
- HSBC Private Bank: Top choice for international buyers with globally held assets
For non-traditional income structures (bank statement loans, DSCR), specialty Non-QM lenders like Truss Financial and Arcstone also operate actively in this market.
The AUM Relationship Discount
At the $10M+ level, your mortgage rate is less a function of credit score and more a function of how much liquidity you're willing to park with the bank. Moving $5M – $10M into a private bank's managed accounts can reduce your mortgage rate by 0.50% to 1.00% — sometimes bringing a jumbo rate below what conforming borrowers pay elsewhere.
Cross-Collateralization
Wells Fargo and JPMorgan offer structures where other assets — a second property, a stock portfolio — are pledged as collateral in lieu of a cash down payment. This can theoretically enable 100% financing, with no cash out of pocket, as long as you have sufficient pledged assets elsewhere.
Seller Financing
Rare, but strategic. Seller financing appears in roughly 3% – 5% of transactions, almost exclusively at the $15M+ tier. It typically surfaces in three scenarios: a buyer needs a short bridge period to liquidate a large stock position or sell another estate; a seller wants to spread capital gains across multiple tax years via an installment sale; or a property is undergoing major renovations and lacks a Certificate of Occupancy, making traditional bank financing unavailable until work is complete.
How to Choose the Right Team
In Beverly Hills, the quality of your mortgage professional is not a minor detail — it can be the difference between closing and losing a deal.
What to look for in a luxury mortgage broker:
- Non-QM expertise: Most Beverly Hills deals don't conform to Fannie Mae guidelines. Your broker should proactively discuss bank statement loans, DSCR, and asset depletion before you even ask.
- A portfolio lender network: The best terms in this market come from lenders who don't advertise publicly. Ask which portfolio lenders your broker has direct relationships with.
- Pre-underwriting before you offer: Top brokers review your tax returns and K-1s before you submit an offer, identifying red flags that could kill a deal mid-escrow.
- Pull-through rate on $5M+ loans: Listing agents in Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holmby Hills routinely call the buyer's broker to verify the buyer's actual liquidity. If your broker isn't respected in this market, your offer can be passed over even if it's the highest.
Relevant designations:
- NMLS ID + California DRE License: Required baseline for all brokers
- CMPS (Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist): Indicates the broker understands the tax and estate planning implications of the loan — treating it as a financial instrument, not just debt
- CMA (Certified Mortgage Advisor): Focuses on macroeconomics and bond markets; useful for advising on when to lock a rate versus float in a volatile environment
Established names in the Beverly Hills market include Mark Cohen of Cohen Financial Group (frequently ranked among the top mortgage brokers nationally for high-volume jumbo and Non-QM loans), Insignia Mortgage (known for entertainment industry professionals and self-employed borrowers), and City National Bank's private mortgage banking division.
At every level, your real estate agent plays an equally critical role — particularly in a market where many of the best opportunities never hit the public listings. A team with deep local relationships, extensive off-market access, and a track record at the highest price points is not a luxury; it's a prerequisite.
Ready to Begin?
Financing a home in Beverly Hills is not a transaction — it's a process that requires the right financial preparation, the right lending relationships, and the right real estate partner from the very first step.
The Umansky Team, led by Mauricio Umansky — Founder and CEO of The Agency and one of the most recognized names in luxury real estate globally — brings nearly $5 billion in career sales and an unmatched track record in the Beverly Hills market. Mauricio has sold some of the world's most notable properties, holds the distinction of selling more homes above $20M than anyone in the country, and his team operates from the heart of 90210 at 331 Foothill Rd, Suite 100, Beverly Hills.
Whether you're navigating your first jumbo loan or structuring a nine-figure off-market acquisition, The Umansky Team has the expertise, the relationships, and the local knowledge to guide you through it.
Contact The Umansky Team: 424.230.3701 | [email protected]
