Tehama County guide · Updated October 26, 2026

Mortgage Broker Serving Red Bluff and Tehama County

Von Mortgage is a mortgage broker based in Redding that helps Red Bluff families buy homes with conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and CalHFA-backed loans, with access to many lenders and loan programs. In Tehama County, plan around a 2026 conforming loan limit of $832,750, property tax of just over 1% of assessed value, and a homeowners insurance quote before you make an offer.

Get a quote Call (530) 221-7700

Tehama County at a glance
County: Tehama
Red Bluff median sale price: $276,868, three months ending September 2026 (Redfin)
2026 conforming loan limit: $832,750 for a single-family home
CalHFA income limit, Tehama County: $192,000
Where we work from: Redding, licensed throughout California; Sources and dates at the foot of the page.

Why a broker

Why use a mortgage broker to buy a home in Red Bluff?

A bank offers its own loans under its own guidelines. A broker works with many lenders and loan programs, each with different guidelines. That matters when a file doesn't fit one lender's box: self-employed income, a rental property, a rural property, or down payment help layered on top of the first mortgage. Rate is part of the comparison. Which program fits the file is the bigger part.

Von Mortgage can place Red Bluff purchases in conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans, CalHFA down payment programs, self-employed loans and DSCR loans for investors.

Do you have an office in Red Bluff?

No. Von Mortgage is based in Redding and is licensed throughout California. Red Bluff families work with us by phone, email and e-signature, and the final signing happens with your escrow company, so you don't need to drive to Redding.

Pete Metz (NMLS #260571) has been in mortgage lending since 2003.

Budget

What will a Red Bluff home cost, and what will property tax be?

Redfin reports a median sale price of $276,868 in Red Bluff for the three months ending September 2026, down 4.5% from a year earlier. Homes took a median of 54 days to sell, up from 43 days a year earlier. Market figures change every month, so treat this as a snapshot.

Tehama County's basic property tax rate is 1% of assessed value. The county's 2025-26 rate schedule lists total rates of 1.0284% and 1.0368% for the City of Red Bluff tax-rate areas, so two Red Bluff homes can carry different rates.

As an example, a $280,000 purchase in a 1.0368% area would carry about $2,903 a year, or about $242 a month. At 1.0284% the same price comes to about $2,880 a year. This is an illustration, not a quote, and it assumes the assessed value equals the purchase price. Ask for the property's current tax bill before you write an offer so you can see what applies to that address. Questions about assessed value go to the Tehama County Assessor at (530) 527-5931.

When is Tehama County property tax due?

Bills are mailed by November 1. The first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10, with a 10% penalty. The second installment is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10, with a 10% penalty plus a $25 cost. Tehama County does not send a reminder for the second installment. Questions about a specific bill go to the Tehama County Treasurer-Tax Collector at (530) 527-4535.

What is the supplemental tax bill?

When a property is sold or improved, the county reappraises it. If the new value is higher, you receive one or more supplemental bills on top of the annual bill. If it is lower, you receive a refund. Supplemental bills go out throughout the year and the due date depends on the billing date. Ask your lender in writing whether it will pay a supplemental bill from your impound account, and set the money aside until you know.

Source: Tehama County Treasurer-Tax Collector and County of Tehama Tax Rates 2025-2026, checked October 26, 2026; Redfin, Red Bluff housing market, September 2026 data.

Insurance and flood

Can Red Bluff families get homeowners insurance, and how does it affect the loan?

Yes, though in wildfire-exposed parts of Tehama County it can take more shopping. Get a quote before you make an offer. Your lender needs a bound policy in place before the loan can close.

The most common way I see a Tehama or Shasta County escrow get into trouble is an insurance quote that shows up after the offer is accepted. By then the payment you qualified for is already set, and a high premium can push it past what works.

Tehama County is on the California Department of Insurance's March 6, 2025 list of wildfire-distressed counties, along with Butte and Shasta.

What if regular insurers won't cover the house?

The California FAIR Plan is the fallback. The California Department of Insurance tells homeowners to shop the regular market first, then apply to the FAIR Plan through an agent or broker licensed to sell property insurance. The FAIR Plan's residential coverage limit is $3 million.

FAIR Plan pricing is going up. KRCR reported on May 22, 2026 that the California Department of Insurance approved an overall 29.1% FAIR Plan rate increase, taking effect on new and renewal policies on October 15, 2026.

Our fire insurance guide goes deeper on the FAIR Plan. It is written for Shasta County, but the FAIR Plan rules are statewide.

Do I need flood insurance for a Red Bluff home?

It depends on the property. If the home is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area and the loan comes from a federally regulated lender or a federal agency lender, federal law requires flood insurance on the property. Ask for the flood zone determination as soon as you are in contract, because it changes the monthly payment. You can also look up an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Source: 42 U.S.C. 4012a, checked October 26, 2026.

Loan programs

Which loan programs can Red Bluff families use?

Most Red Bluff purchases fit a conventional, FHA, VA or USDA loan, sometimes with CalHFA down payment help. Because Tehama County's 2026 conforming limit is $832,750, most Red Bluff homes do not need a jumbo loan.

Loan options for a Red Bluff home purchase, October 2026
Program	Minimum down payment	What to know in Tehama County
Conventional	As low as 3% for eligible borrowers	2026 limit $832,750 for one unit (FHFA)
FHA	3.5% with a credit score of 580 or higher	Scores of 500 to 579 are limited to 90% financing (HUD). FHA limits are set by county. Check Tehama County's current limit on HUD's lookup.
VA	0% for eligible borrowers, as long as the price is not above the appraised value	Same VA rules as anywhere in California
USDA	0% in eligible areas, with income limits	Eligibility depends on the exact address, and household income cannot exceed 115% of the median (USDA).
CalHFA down payment help	Helps cover the down payment and closing costs	2026 income limit $192,000 in Tehama County (CalHFA)
Self-employed	Varies by program	Bank statement and other options when tax returns understate income
DSCR investor	Varies by program	Qualifies on the property's rental income instead of your personal income

Can I use a USDA loan in Red Bluff?

It depends on the exact address. Enter the property in USDA's Property Eligibility tool before you count on zero down, or send us the address and we'll check it with you. Household income also has to fall at or under 115% of the area median. Our USDA loan page is written for Shasta County, but the program works the same way in Tehama.

Down payment help

Is there down payment help for Red Bluff families?

Yes. CalHFA programs are available in Tehama County, and the 2026 income limit for CalHFA's government and conventional loans in Tehama County is $192,000 (CalHFA income limits, effective June 30, 2026).

CalHFA's MyHome Assistance program is a deferred-payment second loan for the down payment and closing costs of eligible first-time homebuyers. It is used only with a CalHFA first mortgage through an approved lender. MyHome can cover up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value, whichever is less, with a CalHFA FHA first mortgage, and up to 3% with a CalHFA conventional, USDA or VA first mortgage. Payments are deferred for the life of the first loan, and the balance is due when you sell, transfer title, pay off or refinance.

For MyHome, a first-time homebuyer is a borrower who has not owned a principal residence in the previous three years. Homebuyer education is required. CalHFA updates its terms, so we confirm the current rules when we quote your loan.

See our down payment assistance page for how the programs fit together, or start with our first-time homebuyer page.

How it works

How does buying a Red Bluff home with Von Mortgage work?

Start with a quote. Call (530) 221-7700 or request a quote. We talk through income, credit, savings and the kind of home you want.
We compare lenders for your file and show you the loan options side by side, with the full monthly payment including taxes, insurance and any mortgage insurance.
You get a pre-approval before you shop. This is also the time to get a homeowners insurance quote on any house you're serious about.
Once your offer is accepted, we handle the loan through escrow. Documents are signed by e-signature, with the final signing arranged with your escrow company. When you're ready, apply online.

Our closing timeline guide shows what happens each week. You can also check current rates or read reviews from families we've worked with.

Pete also helps Red Bluff families buy a second home or rental outside California, in Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana or Florida. See all the areas Von Mortgage serves.

Do you have an office in Red Bluff?

What is the conforming loan limit in Tehama County for 2026?

$832,750 for a single-family home, according to FHFA's 2026 county loan limit list. Loans above that amount are jumbo loans.

When are Tehama County property taxes due, and what happens if I miss one?

The first installment is due November 1 and is delinquent after December 10. The second is due February 1 and is delinquent after April 10. A late payment carries a 10% penalty, and the second installment adds a $25 cost. Tehama County does not send a reminder for the second installment.

Can Red Bluff families get homeowners insurance, and does it affect my loan?

Yes, though wildfire-exposed addresses can take more shopping. The California Department of Insurance recommends trying the regular market first, then the California FAIR Plan through a licensed agent or broker. Your lender needs a bound policy before closing, so get a quote before you make an offer. If the home is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, flood insurance is also required on loans from federally regulated lenders.

Can I use a USDA loan in Red Bluff?

It depends on the exact address. Check the property in USDA's Property Eligibility tool at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov before you count on zero down, or send us the address and we'll check it with you. Household income also has to be at or under 115% of the area median.

Is there down payment help for Red Bluff families?

Yes. CalHFA's MyHome Assistance program offers a deferred-payment second loan for the down payment and closing costs of eligible first-time homebuyers, paired with a CalHFA first mortgage. CalHFA's 2026 income limit in Tehama County is $192,000. Terms change, so we confirm current rules when we quote your loan.

Sources and dates

Figures checked October 26, 2026. Rules and rates change; call before relying on a number.

Talk it through

Talk to Pete about buying in Red Bluff

Send us the address you're looking at, or just the price range. We'll compare lenders, check USDA and CalHFA eligibility, and show you the full monthly payment with Tehama County taxes and insurance.

Get a quote Apply online Call (530) 221-7700

Disclaimer: This information is educational and is not a commitment to lend, a loan approval, or an offer of credit. Any rates, payments, down payments or other figures shown are illustrative examples only, not quoted terms and not an offer to extend credit. Actual rates and terms depend on credit, income, property, occupancy and market conditions, and change daily. For current pricing see vonmortgage.com/rates.

Pete Metz, Mortgage Broker · NMLS #260571
Dream Big Ownership LLC dba Von Mortgage · NMLS #2592815
2777 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA 96002 · Pete@VonMortgage.com
Equal Housing Opportunity.

Mortgage Broker Serving Red Bluff and Tehama County

Why use a mortgage broker to buy a home in Red Bluff?

Do you have an office in Red Bluff?

What will a Red Bluff home cost, and what will property tax be?

When is Tehama County property tax due?

What is the supplemental tax bill?

Can Red Bluff families get homeowners insurance, and how does it affect the loan?

What if regular insurers won't cover the house?

Do I need flood insurance for a Red Bluff home?

Which loan programs can Red Bluff families use?

Can I use a USDA loan in Red Bluff?

Is there down payment help for Red Bluff families?

How does buying a Red Bluff home with Von Mortgage work?

Questions Red Bluff families ask

Sources and dates

Talk to Pete about buying in Red Bluff

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