The Mortgage Marketplace

As a result of the federal government's 2008 Economic Stimulus Act, the limits on conforming mortgages eligible for purchase or guarantee by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have increased in certain high-cost areas. New limits range from $417,000 to $729,750, depending on location. In Los Angeles county, the new limit is $729,750. For borrowers who live in these high-cost areas, this means that rates and availability on higher-end loans that were once hard to get are now more accessible.

Areas like Los Angles, for one.