From the 3.5%-down first home to the high-balance move-up - every purchase file gets the same studio treatment. We choose the program by the file. We structure it by hand.
First home or fifth - the level of attention is the same. Where the deal differs is the program path. Pick the one that sounds like you.
You're buying your first home. Down payment matters. Closing costs matter. Pre-approval has to carry weight at the listing table.
You own. You're selling. You're buying. The bridge between them is the file we're best at - sequencing equity, timing closings, removing contingencies.
You're buying for cash flow, appreciation, or both. The property's numbers are the file - not your W-2. DSCR and Non-QM are the tools.
The default tool. Conforming and high-balance conventional loans are backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines and represent the largest share of mortgage lending in the United States. They're the program most files start with - and most files end with.
For first-time buyers, conventional loans are available with as little as 3% down through programs like HomeReady and Home Possible. For standard purchases, 5% is the typical floor, and putting down 20% removes private mortgage insurance entirely.
Conventional financing also covers second homes and investment property - with adjusted down payment requirements and pricing - which makes it the most versatile program in the catalog.
Federal Housing Administration loans were designed for buyers without large down payments or with credit profiles still in rebuild mode. They remain one of the most accessible programs in mortgage today.
FHA loans require just 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher, and have more flexible underwriting on debt-to-income ratios than conventional financing. The tradeoff is mortgage insurance - both upfront and monthly - which stays for the life of the loan in most cases.
When paired with a down payment assistance program - Chenoa Fund, CalHFA, Arrive Home, or a state-specific option - the 3.5% minimum required investment can be covered, meaning qualified borrowers may purchase with little to no out-of-pocket down payment.
VA loans are guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and are available to qualifying service members, veterans, and eligible surviving spouses. They are, by most measures, the best mortgage program in America for the people who've earned them.
Zero down payment. No mortgage insurance. Competitive interest rates. More flexible credit guidelines than conventional. The VA charges a one-time funding fee that's typically financed into the loan, with exemptions for many disabled veterans.
If you've served, this is almost always the right program. We start every conversation with eligible borrowers by confirming VA eligibility before discussing alternatives.
The USDA Rural Development loan program offers zero-down financing for properties in qualifying rural and eligible suburban areas. The eligibility map is broader than most buyers expect - large portions of the country qualify, including many outlying neighborhoods near major metros.
USDA loans have income limits (based on household size and county area median income) and property location requirements, but for buyers who qualify on both dimensions, the program offers terms competitive with - or better than - FHA at a lower long-term cost.
We'll run your address and income against the USDA eligibility maps on the first call.
Jumbo loans cover loan amounts above the conforming limit set annually by the FHFA. In high-cost markets - coastal California, the Northeast, parts of Florida and Colorado - jumbo financing is the norm, not the exception.
Because jumbo loans don't conform to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac standards, they're held on lender balance sheets or sold to private investors. That means underwriting is more considered - credit, reserves, and income are examined in depth - but it also means we can structure files that wouldn't fit a one-size guideline.
Pledged-asset structures, executive compensation with deferred or equity components, complex self-employed income, and high net-worth profiles all live in the jumbo space. This is where studio craft most clearly outperforms a template.
Multiple programs - Chenoa Fund, CalHFA, Arrive Home, and state-specific options - pair with FHA to cover the 3.5% minimum required investment for qualifying buyers. Real paths. Real eligibility. Subject to each program's guidelines.
*Most national programs excl. New York; CalHFA is California only. Where HLS is licensed. Subject to each program's guidelines.
A pre-approval letter is a credibility document. Ours is backed by verified income, assets, and credit - the way a listing agent expects to see it.
