Find your mortgage fit across 17 states, with answers built around you.
Straight answers on VA, FHA, conventional, jumbo, self-employed, and investor loans, from a team that closes the files other lenders hand back. Tell us your situation and we build a real plan around it.
Ten guides. One for your situation.
Each guide goes deep on one kind of buyer or homeowner, in plain English, with no rate bait. Start on the one that sounds like you.
Home Buyer Guide
The full path from budget to keys, and how to tell which loan type actually fits your money.
Open the guide →First-Time Buyer Guide
Down payment help, low-down programs, and the credit and income basics for a first purchase.
Open the guide →VA Loan Guide
Zero-down financing for eligible Veterans and service members, entitlement, and the funding fee explained.
Open the guide →Self-Employed Mortgage Guide
Bank-statement, 1099-only, and asset-based options when write-offs shrink your taxable income.
Open the guide →Jumbo Loan Guide
When a loan runs above the conforming limit, and what reserves and credit jumbo underwriting expects.
Open the guide →Investor / DSCR Loan Guide
Qualify a rental on the property's own cash flow instead of your personal tax returns.
Open the guide →Physician Loan Guide
Low-down financing that treats a signed contract as income and works around student debt.
Open the guide →Buy Before You Sell Guide
Bridge financing that lets you buy the next home before the current one closes.
Open the guide →Divorce & Mortgage Guide
Buying out a co-owner, refinancing off a shared note, and qualifying on one income.
Open the guide →Relocation Mortgage Guide
Financing a move across state lines, timing a start date, and buying before you land.
Open the guide →The person who takes your first call stays with your file. No handoff to a call center.
Real numbers against your real file. If a program is wrong for you, we say so.
VA, FHA, conventional, jumbo, physician, self-employed, and investor loans under one roof.
Send your scenario and our team calls you back within 5 minutes during business hours.
"We'd been turned down twice because I'm self-employed and my tax returns don't show what I actually make. Someone here looked at my bank statements, walked me through the numbers on the first call, and we closed on our house six weeks later. First lender that treated me like a person."
— Homeowner, verified client (name withheld for privacy)
Every borrower's file is different. The programs, income limits, and closing rules shift the moment you cross a state line, which is why our guides speak in national, program-level terms and our team confirms the specifics for your state on the call. You get the same standard in all 17 states we serve: plain English, honest math, and one team that stays with your loan from the first question to the closing table.
No obligation, no pressure, no salesy follow-up queue. Read the guide that fits you, or send your situation and get a straight answer. You decide what happens next.
What clients say
Verified reviews from Mike Certo's experience.com profile — updated automatically.
Frequently asked questions
What credit score do you need to buy a house?
It depends on the loan. FHA allows a 580 score with 3.5% down, or 500 with 10% down. VA and USDA set no agency-wide minimum, though lenders often look for about 580 to 620. Conventional loans traditionally needed 620, but Fannie Mae's automated underwriting removed that minimum for loans started on or after November 16, 2025, using a risk assessment instead. Most lenders still apply their own overlay.
How much of a down payment do you need to buy a house?
Less than most people think. VA and USDA loans allow 0% down for eligible buyers, conventional loans go as low as 3%, and FHA requires 3.5%. The 20% figure is a myth; it only matters for avoiding mortgage insurance. The typical first-time buyer puts down about 10%. Putting less than 20% down adds mortgage insurance, which is removable on a conventional loan once you reach 20% equity.
What is the difference between an FHA and a conventional loan?
FHA loans are government-insured and flexible on credit: 3.5% down at a 580 score, but the mortgage insurance usually stays for the life of the loan. Conventional loans follow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, start at 3% down, and let you drop private mortgage insurance once you reach 20% equity. FHA tends to fit lower credit or higher debt; conventional rewards stronger credit.
Can you get a mortgage without tax returns?
Yes. Self-employed buyers can use a bank-statement loan that qualifies on 12 to 24 months of deposits instead of tax returns. Real estate investors can use a DSCR loan that qualifies on the property's rent covering the payment, with no personal income documents. Asset-qualifier loans use liquid savings. These are non-QM programs, so credit, down payment, and reserve requirements still apply.
Ready when you are.
Get pre-approved in 24 to 48 hours for a straightforward file, or talk to our team first to figure out which path fits.