A first-time buyer and a landlord buying their fifth rental need almost nothing in common from a lender. Rather than run everyone through the same process, I start by figuring out which situation you're actually in.

Whether it's your first house or your fourth, the process is the same on paper and completely different in practice. I'll walk you through what you can afford, what you'll need, and what happens when.
This is you if: you're house hunting, about to start, or want to know what's possible before you look.

Rates, terms, cash-out, dropping mortgage insurance, shortening your loan. Refinancing only makes sense if the math works — and sometimes it doesn't. I'll tell you either way.
This is you if: you already own your home and want to change the loan on it.
→ For homeowners refinancing

DSCR loans, portfolio financing, and the programs that qualify on the property's income instead of yours. Different rules, different lenders, different conversation.
This is you if: you're buying property to rent out or already own rentals and want to grow.
→ For real estate investors

Multifamily, mixed-use, office, retail, and owner-occupied commercial. Longer timelines, more documentation, and a lender list that has almost no overlap with residential.
This is you if: you're financing property that isn't a one-to-four unit home.
→ For commercial borrowers

Your tax return doesn't tell the whole story about your income. Bank statement loans, P&L programs, and asset-based qualifying exist for exactly this reason.
This is you if: you're 1099, own a business, or your income is hard to document on a W-2.
→ For self-employed borrowers
Not a call center, not a rotating team. The person you talk to first is the person who takes your file to closing.
As a broker I shop multiple lenders. A bank can only offer you what the bank sells.
About 20 days from application to closing, and you'll never wonder where things stand.
Not sure which one you are? That's a normal place to start. Let's talk.
Yes, and a large share of my clients are first-time buyers. First-time buyers often qualify for down payment assistance and reduced mortgage insurance programs that repeat buyers don't, so it's worth asking about before you assume you need 20% down.
Yes. The loan programs are different, but the process and the person don't have to be. Many of my clients start with a home purchase and come back later for rentals.
A bank offers you its own loan products. A broker shops your file across many lenders and brings you the options that fit. If your situation is straightforward, both can work — the broker advantage shows up when your situation isn't.
No. Credit requirements vary widely by loan program — some allow scores in the 500s with a larger down payment. Your score affects your rate and your options, but it's rarely a hard stop by itself.
There are loan programs built specifically for self-employed borrowers that qualify you on bank statements, profit and loss statements, or assets instead of tax returns. If a bank has told you no, that's often a sign you were offered the wrong program, not that you don't qualify.
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