Residential Home Loan Education
Expert guides on every residential loan type — FHA vs. conventional, jumbo loans, VA eligibility, refinancing strategies, self-employed programs, bridge loans, and more. Clear, honest answers designed to help you choose the right mortgage.
Residential Loan Guides
Each guide answers one specific question with a direct answer, key facts, and detailed explanation — optimized for quick answers.
Investment Loans
What Is a DSCR Loan?
A DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan is an investment property mortgage where qualification is based on the property's rental income ra...
Equestrian
How Do You Finance a Horse Property?
Horse property financing splits across three products that handle the same buyer at different price points and use levels: Conforming Conven...
First-Time Buyers
FHA vs. Conventional Loan: Which Should You Choose?
An FHA loan requires just 3.5% down and accepts credit scores from 580, but charges mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. A conventio...
Bridge Loans
What Is a Bridge Loan?
A bridge loan is short-term financing that lets you buy a new home before selling your current one. It 'bridges' the gap between your two tr...
Self-Employed
What Is a Bank Statement Loan?
A bank statement loan is a mortgage program that uses 12 or 24 months of bank deposits — instead of tax returns — to calculate qualifying in...
Loan Types
What Is a Jumbo Loan?
A jumbo loan is a mortgage that exceeds the conforming loan limit set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In 2026, the standard co...
VA Loans
Who Is Eligible for a VA Loan?
VA loan eligibility is based on military service. You may qualify if you served 90+ consecutive days of active duty during wartime, 181+ day...
Refinancing
When Should You Refinance Your Mortgage?
You should consider refinancing when current rates are at least 0.5-0.75% below your existing rate, when you want to eliminate FHA mortgage ...
Residential
How Much House Can I Afford?
How much house you can afford depends on your income, debts, down payment, interest rate, and the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio your loan progr...
Residential
What Should First-Time Homebuyers Know in Oregon and California?
First-time homebuyers in Oregon and California have access to multiple low-down-payment programs: FHA (3.5% down, 580+ credit), Conventional...
Residential
How Do Construction Loans Work?
A construction loan is short-term financing that funds the building of a new home in stages (draws) as construction progresses. Once the hom...
Residential
How Do You Finance an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)?
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) — backyard cottage, garage conversion, or basement suite — can be financed several ways: a cash-out refinan...
VA Loans
What Is a VA One-Time Close Construction Loan?
A VA One-Time Close (OTC) construction loan is a single loan that finances the lot purchase, the home build, and the permanent mortgage in o...
VA Loans
What Is a VA Loan?
A VA loan is a mortgage backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, available to eligible active-duty service members, veterans, Nati...
Residential
Second Home vs. Investment Property: How Do Lenders Classify It?
A second home is a one-unit property you occupy part of the year and control personally — it can't sit in a rental pool or under a managemen...
Residential Lending Glossary
From the Blog
Further Reading
Physician LoansWhat's New: 100% Financing, No PMI on Our Enhanced Physician Loan Program
We've expanded our physician loan program to offer up to 100% financing — a true 0% down option — with no mortgage insurance for eligible medical professionals in Oregon and California. Here's exactly what changed, who it helps, and the new financing tiers.
InvestmentMaximizing DSCR and Cash Flow with Interest-Only Payments: A 2026 Six-City Comparison (Portland, Eugene, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County)
Interest-only payments on a 40-year DSCR loan can lift your debt-service coverage ratio by roughly 0.13–0.15 and add hundreds of dollars per month in cash flow — sometimes flipping a deal from negative to positive. Here is what the math looks like at 2026 median price points across six West Coast investor markets, modeled at 30% down (70% LTV) which is the sweet spot for best-tier DSCR pricing.
ResidentialAssumable FHA & VA Loans: A Buyer’s Guide to Inheriting a 3% Mortgage in Today’s 6% Market — Portland and San Francisco Scenarios
Government loans (FHA and VA) are assumable. With current rates near 6%, a buyer who can step into a 3.75% FHA loan or a 4.00% VA jumbo loan from 2022–2023 captures hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifetime savings — but only if they understand the cash-to-close math, minimum-payment rules, and resale implications. Real Portland and San Francisco walkthroughs.
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