A bank can only show you its own rates. Lumena Home Loans is an independent, Bay Area based mortgage brokerage serving all of California. We shop dozens of wholesale lenders, match your profile to the best rate and program, and explain every line of it in English or Spanish.
National averages, as of Sep 10, 2026
National average rates from industry surveys (Freddie Mac PMMS and daily rate indices), shown for reference, not an offer to lend. Your rate depends on credit, down payment, property, and program.
Get my personalized rateThe classic 30- and 15-year fixed loans, plus adjustable options. Competitive rates for buyers with steady income and as little as 3% down.
Flexible credit requirements and down payments from 3.5%. Often the best door into homeownership for first-generation buyers.
For veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible spouses: no down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and strong rates.
Financing above conforming limits for Bay Area price points, with strategies to keep the rate and the reserves manageable.
CalHFA and local first-time-buyer programs can cover part of your down payment or closing costs. We’ll tell you what you qualify for before you tour a single house.
Lower the rate, drop mortgage insurance, shorten the term, or take cash out of your equity. We run the numbers first, and we tell you honestly if refinancing doesn’t make sense yet.
Taxes estimated at 1.25% of the home price per year and insurance at $1,500 per year. Adjust them to your property. HOA dues and mortgage insurance are extra. An estimate, not a quote.
A 15-minute call, in English or Spanish, about your income, savings, and what home means for your family. No documents needed yet.
We verify your numbers and issue a pre-approval letter, usually within 24 hours. Sellers take your offer seriously.
As brokers, we compare dozens of wholesale lenders and negotiate the rate and fees. You see the options side by side.
We walk you through every document before you sign, and we’re still your first call years after you have the keys.
A bank shows you its menu. We shop the whole market for you.
If no one in your family has done this before, the process can feel like it was designed to confuse you. It wasn’t. It just has never been explained well. We walk the whole road together, in your language, at a kitchen-table pace: what you can afford, what assistance you qualify for, and what happens at each step.
Free pre-approval, no obligation
CalHFA & down-payment assistance guidance
Everything explained in English or Spanish
Credit-building plan if you’re not ready yet
NMLS 1670032 · DRE 02029627
Lupe has spent her career helping Bay Area families, many buying their first home, get from pre-approval to keys. As a broker she works for you, not for a bank. She compares dozens of lenders and negotiates so you don’t have to. Ask her anything. She has heard it all, and she answers her own phone.
Licensed since 1998 · DRE 01244077
Omar is a proud Latin American businessman, an immigrant and the son of immigrants, who made the Bay Area home and has spent his career serving the community around him. Since 1998 he has built his reputation the slow way: ethical work, responsive service, and relationships that last. Many of the families he helped early in his career now send their children to him, a trust that has carried across generations.
NMLS 2827232 · DRE 02205629
Nayari has built her career on the trust of her clients. She works hard for every family she serves, guiding them through each step in English or Spanish and staying responsive from the first question to closing day. Clients come to her for clear answers and stay because she treats their goals like her own.
Lumena is a minority-owned brokerage founded by two Mexican-American entrepreneurs from the Bay Area. Lumena means light, and that is the standard we hold ourselves to: honest advice, clear numbers, and service in both English and Spanish. We want this company to be a beacon for our community, an example of what hard work builds, and a partner families can trust with the biggest purchase of their lives, from the first question to the keys.
— Lupe del Castillo & Omar Murillo, founders
A bank can only offer its own loans. As brokers, we shop dozens of wholesale lenders and they compete for your loan, which usually means a lower rate, lower fees, or both. Brokers are compensated by the lender, so you don’t pay us extra.
Less than most people think. Conventional loans start at 3% down, FHA at 3.5%, VA at 0%, and assistance programs can cover part of it. The 20% rule is a myth. It only affects whether you pay mortgage insurance.
Often, yes. There are ITIN loan programs, and lenders that accept alternative credit like rent and utility payment history. Bring us your situation. We have probably closed one like it.
Usually 24 hours once we have your documents: recent pay stubs, two years of tax returns, and bank statements. The first call takes 15 minutes and needs nothing but questions.
No. We’re licensed throughout California and close loans across the Bay Area and beyond. Castro Valley is home base, and your loan happens wherever you are.
We’re always glad to hear from loan officers who believe lending should be clear, honest, and bilingual.
Inquire2811 Castro Valley Blvd, Ste 207
Castro Valley, CA 94546