Loan Programs
There’s No Such Thing as “The Mortgage.” There’s Yours.
Eight core programs, dozens of variations underneath them, and one question that matters: which structure gets you the best result for your situation? That is the part most lenders skip.
Program Matching Is the Whole Job
Most people shop for a mortgage the way they shop for airline tickets — find the lowest number and click. The problem is that a mortgage is not one product with one price. It is dozens of products with different qualifying rules, and the cheapest one you cannot qualify for is worth nothing.
The right question is not “what is your rate.” It is “given my income, my credit, my down payment, and how long I plan to own this home, which structure costs me the least over the time I actually keep it?” Sometimes the answer is a conventional loan with 5% down. Sometimes it is FHA now and a refinance in three years. Sometimes it is a bank statement loan that no retail lender in your search results even offers.
That is what I do before anyone fills out an application: diagnose the situation, then pick the tool.
Four Things That Decide Your Program
- 1 How you earn W-2, 1099, K-1, commission, rental income, or a mix — this is the single biggest factor.
- 2 Your credit profile Not just the score. Depth of history, recent events, and where you sit relative to pricing tiers.
- 3 Cash available Down payment, closing costs, and reserves. Gift funds and assistance programs change this math.
- 4 Your timeline How long you plan to keep the home determines whether points, MI, or a shorter term make sense.
All Programs
Eight Ways to Finance a Home
Every program page covers who it fits, how it works, real guideline numbers, the myths that cost borrowers money, and the questions I get asked most.
Conventional Loans
Flexible down payments and strong terms for well-qualified buyers.
Learn moreFHA Loans
Lower down payment and more forgiving credit requirements.
Learn moreVA Loans
Zero down and no monthly MI — let’s use every benefit you earned.
Learn moreJumbo Loans
Luxury financing with 5%-down and no-MI options available.
Learn moreConstruction Loans
Financing for custom builds and new construction.
Learn moreInvestor & DSCR
Qualify on rental income and scale your portfolio.
Learn moreSelf-Employed Programs
Bank statement, 1099, P&L, and no-ratio loans for business owners.
Learn moreRefinance
Rate-and-term, cash-out, and no-lender-fee options.
Learn moreSignature Solutions
And Four Problems Most Lenders Send You Home With
These are not loan programs so much as answers to specific situations — the ones that come up again and again.
ATM Mortgage
A first-lien HELOC — your equity, accessible on demand.
Learn moreBuy Before You Sell
Make a non-contingent offer without selling first.
Learn moreDown Payment Assistance
Programs that shrink the cash you need to close.
Learn moreFirst-Time Homebuyers
Education, budgeting, and offer strategy from preapproval to keys.
Learn moreNot Sure Which Fits?
Tell me your situation in twenty minutes and I will tell you which program you should be looking at — and which ones to ignore. No cost, no obligation, no pressure to apply that day.
- Your realistic price range
- Which programs you qualify for
- Down payment and closing cost estimate
- What to fix before applying, if anything
Common Questions
About Choosing a Program
It comes down to four things: your credit, your income documentation, your down payment, and your goals for the property. Once I know those, the right program is usually obvious within a few minutes. That is exactly what the free strategy call covers.
Yes, up to a point. Before you are under contract it is easy. After that it depends on your closing timeline and whether the new program changes the appraisal or documentation requirements. I would rather get it right the first time, which is why the diagnosis happens before the application.
No. Running scenarios and comparing programs is part of the advisory work, not a billable service. You only pay loan costs at closing, and those are disclosed in writing well before you commit.
Then we look at portfolio and non-QM options that are not listed here, or we build a 60-to-90-day plan to get you qualified. In 20 years I have rarely met a situation with no path at all — usually there is just no path with the lender who said no.
Let’s Solve Your Mortgage Situation.
Apply online in about 12 minutes, or grab a free 20-minute strategy call. Either way, you’ll leave knowing more than you do right now.