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Mortgage answers, in plain English
Guides for investors, self-employed borrowers, and homeowners: how each loan works, what lenders look for, and how to set up your loan so it closes smoothly.
What is a DSCR loan? A plain-English guide for investors
How a DSCR loan qualifies you on the property's rent instead of your income, what lenders typically require, and when it beats a conventional loan.
Read the guide →Non-QM loans explained: types, requirements, and who they're for
What makes a loan non-QM, every major program side by side, typical requirements, and how to tell if one fits you.
Investors · DSCRDSCR loan requirements: the complete pre-application checklist
Credit score, down payment, reserves, property types, and LLC rules, plus a checklist to run before you apply.
Investors · DSCRDSCR loan rates: how they're priced and how to get a better one
The seven things that set your DSCR rate, why posted rate tables are usually out of date, and practical ways to improve the rate you're quoted.
Investors · DSCRDSCR vs. conventional loans: which is right for your next rental?
A side-by-side look at documentation, limits, entity borrowing, and cost, and how to decide which loan fits your deal.
Investors · DSCRHow to calculate DSCR for a rental property, with examples
The DSCR formula, what lenders count as rent and as payment, three worked examples, and five ways to raise a ratio that comes up short.
Investors · Short-term rentalsAirbnb and short-term rental DSCR loans: how they work and what lenders require
How lenders qualify a vacation rental on projected nightly income, today's STR guidelines, and what to check before you go under contract.
Investors · BRRRRThe BRRRR cash-out refinance: how to refinance out of hard money with a DSCR loan
How to refinance out of hard money with a DSCR loan: seasoning, delayed financing, LTV limits, and the numbers that make the exit work.
Investors · Cash-outCash-out refinance on an investment property: DSCR vs. conventional
How much equity you can pull from a rental, how DSCR and conventional cash-out loans compare, and the seasoning rules that decide when you can do it.
Investors · CaliforniaDSCR loans in California: what investors need to know
Property tax resets, the insurance market, rent control, and LA's short-term rental rules all change the DSCR math in California. Here's what to plan for.
Investors · DSCRNo-ratio DSCR loans: financing when the rent doesn't cover the payment
Not every good rental hits 1.0x. How no-ratio and sub-1.0 DSCR programs work, what they require, and when you need one.
Investors · StrategyInterest-only DSCR loans: the pros, the cons, and the math
Interest-only can turn a 0.95x rental into a 1.1x, but it has a cost. The math, the tradeoffs, and who it fits.
Investors · PortfolioBlanket loans: financing a rental portfolio on one loan
When one loan beats ten. How blanket loans work, what release clauses do, and when separate DSCR loans are still better.
Investors · InternationalForeign national mortgages: how non-U.S. residents finance U.S. property
Non-U.S. residents can finance American rentals without U.S. credit or tax returns. Requirements, documents, steps, and pitfalls to avoid.
Investors · LLCDSCR loans for LLCs: how to buy and refinance rentals in an LLC
What lenders need from your LLC, who has to sign the guarantee, how multi-member LLCs are handled, and what to know before moving a property into an entity.
Investors · ComparisonDSCR loan vs. hard money: which one fits your deal?
Hard money is built for the rehab, DSCR for the hold. How they compare and how to plan the handoff from one to the other.
Investors · First rentalDSCR loans for first-time investors and first-time homebuyers
Most DSCR lenders don't require landlord experience. Not owning a home is the bigger hurdle. Here's what lenders ask for in each case.
Investors · MultifamilyDSCR loans for duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes
How lenders count rent on a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, what changes compared with a single-family rental, and where residential lending ends.
Loan basicsPre-qualification vs. pre-approval: what's the difference?
One is a quick estimate, the other means a lender has checked your credit and documents. Here's which one sellers take seriously.
Loan basicsMortgage closing costs, explained
What you'll pay at closing besides the down payment, how much to expect, and where you have room to lower it.
Loan basicsMortgage points explained: are they worth it?
Paying points lowers your rate in exchange for more cash at closing. Here's how to tell whether it pays off.
Loan basicsHow a mortgage rate lock works
A rate lock holds your rate while your loan is processed. When to lock, how long it lasts, and what happens if rates move.
Loan basicsWhat documents do you need for a mortgage?
A checklist for W-2 employees, self-employed borrowers, and investors, so you can gather everything once.
Loan basicsWhat is PMI, and how do you get rid of it?
Why lenders charge mortgage insurance with a smaller down payment, how conventional PMI differs from FHA, and how to remove it.
Loan basicsHow much do you really need for a down payment?
Typical minimums by loan type, from VA and FHA to DSCR and jumbo, and how your down payment affects rate and mortgage insurance.
Loan basicsWhat is escrow on a mortgage?
The word means two different things in a mortgage. Here's how escrow at closing and your escrow account each work.
Loan basicsDebt-to-income ratio: what it is and why it matters
How lenders calculate DTI, typical limits by loan type, how to lower yours, and which loans skip it entirely.
Loan basicsWhat credit score do you need to buy a house?
Typical minimums by loan type, which score lenders actually use, and quick ways to raise yours before you apply.
Self-employed · P&LP&L only mortgages: how to qualify with a profit and loss statement
Your CPA's profit and loss statement can replace tax returns. Who can prepare it, today's guidelines, and when it beats a bank statement loan.
Self-employed · 10991099 mortgage loans: how independent contractors qualify
Contractors often look poorer on paper than they are. How 1099 loans calculate income, today's guidelines, and what to have ready.
Self-employed · AssetsAsset depletion loans: how to qualify with savings instead of a paycheck
Retired, between ventures, or living off investments? How lenders turn assets into income, which accounts count, and today's guidelines.
Self-employed · Bank statementBank statement loans for self-employed borrowers: requirements, calculations, and tips
How lenders turn 12 or 24 months of deposits into qualifying income, what today's guidelines look like, and how to prepare your statements.
Alt-doc · WVOEWVOE-only loans: qualify with a written verification from your employer
A one-page form from your employer can replace pay stubs, W-2s, and tax returns. How WVOE-only loans work and who they fit.
Self-employed · CaliforniaSelf-employed mortgage options in California
Five ways to qualify when you work for yourself in California, and how high home prices, jumbo loan sizes, and local preparers affect each one.
Home buyers · ConventionalConventional loan requirements: credit, down payment, DTI, and more
Credit, down payment, DTI, loan limits, and PMI: what it takes to qualify for the most common type of mortgage.
Home buyers · FHAFHA loans: requirements, mortgage insurance, and who they're for
Credit and down payment minimums, how FHA mortgage insurance works, and when FHA beats conventional.
Home buyers · VAVA loans: eligibility, benefits, and the funding fee
Who qualifies, how entitlement works, what the funding fee costs, and how to use your VA benefit more than once.
Home buyers · JumboJumbo loans: what to know when you borrow above the conforming limit
Above the conforming limit, the rules change. Credit, reserves, appraisals, and jumbo options for the self-employed.
Homeowners · RefinanceWhen does it make sense to refinance your mortgage?
Forget rules of thumb. The break-even math, the real reasons to refinance, and when to leave your loan alone.
Homeowners · Home equityHELOC vs. cash-out refinance: which is better for you?
Both turn equity into cash. The biggest deciding factor is usually the rate on the mortgage you already have.
Homeowners · Reverse mortgageReverse mortgages: how they work, what they cost, and who they're for
A balanced look at reverse mortgages: how the balance grows, payout options, your obligations, and what happens to heirs.
Home buyers · ITINITIN mortgage loans: how to buy a home without a Social Security number
You can buy a home with an ITIN. Requirements, documents, how alternative credit works, and today's typical guidelines.
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