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Nurse home loans in Oregon and California from Lumen Mortgage
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Nurse Home Loans · Healthcare Lending

Nurse Home Loans: 3% Down, No PMIYou Care for Everyone Else. Let's Get You Home.

Our nurse home loan is built for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, and clinical nurse specialists in Oregon and California: as little as 3% down up to $2M, 89.99% financing up to $3M, no mortgage insurance, and an offer letter is OK when your start date is up to 180 days after closing.

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3%

Min. Down Payment

97% financing to $2M

$3M

Max Loan Amount

89.99% financing

700

Min. Credit Score

50%

Max DTI

Reviewed by David Blackmon

Mortgage Advisor · Portland, OR · NMLS #1017565 · Updated

Quick Answer

What is a nurse home loan?

A nurse home loan is a mortgage for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, and clinical nurse specialists that finances up to 97% of the price with no mortgage insurance. At Lumen Mortgage it covers loans up to $3,000,000 in Oregon and California, accepts a signed offer letter when your start date is up to 180 days after closing, and works for primary homes of 1–4 units and eligible one-unit second homes.

97% financing (3% down) up to $2,000,000
89.99% financing up to $3,000,000
No mortgage insurance
Minimum 700 credit score and 50% maximum DTI
Offer letter OK with a start date up to 180 days after closing
Purchase and rate/term refinance; fixed or 5/6, 7/6, 10/6 ARMs

Best for: RNs, NPs, CRNAs, and CNSs who want to buy with a small down payment and no mortgage insurance.

Nurse Home Loan Quick Facts— Oregon & California · RN, NP, CRNA, CNS

3%

Min. Down Payment

None

Mortgage Insurance

700

Min. Credit Score

50%

Max DTI

$100K–$3M

Loan Amounts

Overview

A Home Loan That Understands Nursing Careers

Nursing careers don't always look like a standard mortgage file. You might be starting a new hospital role next quarter, picking up travel contracts, or carrying student loans from an advanced degree. Our nurse home loan is written for those realities, with up to 97% financing, no mortgage insurance, and documentation rules that fit how nurses actually get hired and paid.

The program covers registered nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), and clinical nurse specialists (CNS). At least one borrower needs an eligible degree and must qualify using income from that profession. A spouse or co-borrower can work in any field. LPNs/LVNs, CNAs, and unlicensed nursing students aren't eligible.

Oregon and California housing is expensive, and a smaller down payment can mean buying years sooner. With 97% financing up to $2,000,000 and 89.99% up to $3,000,000, nurses near OHSU, Providence, Legacy, Kaiser Permanente, UCSF, Stanford, Sutter Health, and other major health systems can buy without waiting to save 20%. If you're a CRNA with a DNP or DNAP, you may also qualify for our 0%-down physician loans, and we'll compare both for you.

Who This Is For

Registered nurses (RN) buying a primary home or a one-unit second home
Nurse practitioners (NP) and clinical nurse specialists (CNS)
CRNAs, including those with a DNP or DNAP who want to compare against 0%-down physician loans
Nurses with a signed offer letter or contract whose start date is up to 180 days after closing
Travel, contract, and 1099 nurses with guaranteed pay or a documented contract history
Self-employed nurses with at least one year of personal and business tax returns
Nurses carrying student loans who need a sensible debt-to-income calculation
First-time buyers who want to keep savings instead of putting 20% down

Nurse Home Loans for Oregon and California

Whether you're an ICU nurse in Portland, a nurse practitioner in Sacramento, or a CRNA joining a Bay Area health system, we'll map your offer letter, start date, and closing date so the timing works. Run your numbers in our nurse home loan calculator, read our first-time home buyer guide for nurses, then call 503-966-9255 or email info@lumenmortgage.com.

Key Features

What Makes This Program Work

As Little as 3% Down

Finance up to 97% of the purchase price on loans up to $2,000,000, or up to 89.99% on loans up to $3,000,000. Primary homes can be 1–4 units, and eligible one-unit second homes qualify too.

No Mortgage Insurance

There's no monthly mortgage insurance, even at 3% down. Closing costs and prepaid items still apply.

Offer Letter OK

Starting a new position? You can qualify on a signed offer letter or contract with a start date up to 180 days after closing. It must show your job title, start date, and pay rate, cover at least 12 months, and have only licensing or standard administrative contingencies.

Student Loan Treatment

We use the payment on your credit report. If no payment reports, we use 0.5% of the balance, a fully amortized payment, or your documented repayment amount.

Fixed or Adjustable

Choose a 15- or 30-year fixed, or a 5/6, 7/6, or 10/6 SOFR ARM. On 30-year fixed purchases, 2-1 and 1-0 temporary buydowns are available.

Travel & Contract Nurses Welcome

Contract, 1099, and travel nurses may qualify with guaranteed pay or a documented contract history. If your contract hasn't started yet, it needs to begin within 60 days, plus reserves.

Qualifying

Nurse Home Loan Financing at a Glance

Loan amountMax financingMin. down paymentReserves
$100,000 – $2,000,00097%3%Offer-letter months only
$2,000,001 – $3,000,00089.99%10.01%2 months PITI + offer-letter months

Primary residences (1–4 units) and eligible one-unit second homes. 700 minimum credit score and 50% maximum DTI. When you qualify on an offer letter, you also need reserves for each month between closing and your start date.

Have questions about this loan?

Talk to an Expert — Free Consultation

Get a personalized rate quote with no impact to your credit score.

503-966-9255

Requirements

General Qualifications

At least one borrower must be an RN, NP, CRNA, or CNS and qualify using income from that profession; co-borrowers can work in any field
Not eligible: LPN/LVN, CNA, unlicensed nursing students, and similar roles
Minimum 700 credit score for every borrower; nontraditional credit isn't accepted
97% financing up to $2,000,000 and 89.99% up to $3,000,000; $100,000 minimum loan
Debt-to-income up to 50%
Purchase and rate/term refinance only; 15- or 30-year fixed or 5/6, 7/6, and 10/6 SOFR ARMs
Primary 1–4 unit homes and eligible one-unit second homes: single-family, PUD, and warrantable condos
Reserves: two months of PITI on loans above $2,000,000, plus reserves for each month between closing and your start date when qualifying on an offer letter
Offer letters and contracts must show job title, start date, and pay rate, cover at least 12 months, and have only licensing or standard administrative contingencies
Manually underwritten; appraisal waivers aren't available
U.S. citizens, permanent residents with a valid green card or renewal evidence, and eligible non-permanent residents with a valid EAD
Properties located in Oregon or California (NMLS #1498678)

Ready to See If You Qualify?

Every borrower's situation is unique. Give us 15 minutes and we'll review your financial picture, identify every program you qualify for, and walk you through your options — at no cost and with no obligation.

Licensed in Oregon & California · NMLS #1498678

Program terms are subject to change and to credit, income, asset, and property approval. Not a commitment to lend. Lumen Mortgage, NMLS #1498678.

Interactive Tool

Nurse home loan calculator: 3% down, no PMI

See your monthly payment with 97% financing up to $2M or 89.99% up to $3M, compare it with a conventional loan with PMI, try a 2-1 or 1-0 buydown, and estimate reserves if you're qualifying with an offer letter.

Nurse Home Loan Calculator

3% Down to $2M · 89.99% to $3M · No PMI · vs. Conventional

Live
$100,00089.99% financing reaches the $3M max near $3,335,000
3.0%·$16,500
3% minimumNurse program range20%

Default rate for illustration, as of July 2026. Edit to match your quote.

Loan Amount

$533,500

LTV

97.0%

Term

30-yr fixed

Nurse Home Loan

RN, NP, CRNA, CNS · 1-unit primary residence modeled · 700+ credit

Monthly P&I

$3,729.94

Mortgage insurance: $0
no PMI
Cash needed at down payment$16,500
Max financing at this loan size97%
ReservesSet during underwriting
Total Monthly$3,729.94
%

Conventional with PMI

Monthly P&I

$3,729.94

Est. PMI (1.05%/yr)
$466.81/mo
Cash needed at down payment$16,500
Total Monthly$4,196.76

Your nurse loan savings

$467/month

vs. a conventional loan with PMI at 3.0% down

Per year

$5,602

PMI avoided

$466.81/mo

Same rate assumed in both columns. The difference shown is mortgage insurance.

Estimates for illustration only, based on nurse home loan guidelines as of 2026: eligible RNs, NPs, CRNAs and clinical nurse specialists; 1-unit primary residence; purchase or rate/term refinance; Oregon & California. 97% financing to $2M and 89.99% to $3M with a 700 score for every borrower; $100,000 minimum loan; 50% maximum DTI. Reserves: 2 months PITI above $2M, plus one month for each month between closing and an offer-letter start date (up to 180 days). 2-1 and 1-0 temporary buydowns are available on 30-year fixed purchases. Second homes, 2–4 units and 5/6, 7/6 and 10/6 SOFR ARMs are available but not modeled here. Down payment excludes closing costs and prepaids. No mortgage insurance. PMI figures in the conventional column are market estimates, not quotes. Subject to credit approval and program guidelines. NMLS #1498678.

FAQ

Common Questions

What Our Clients Say

Five-Star Reviews from Real Borrowers

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"With mortgage rates at historic lows, I decided to refinance. Unimpressed with my current mortgage lender's rates […], I did some digging and found great rates that would need to be brokered privately. I remember a friend mentioning Lumen, so I fired off an email, and what do you know - ~2 weeks later I closed at a fantastic rate! 2 weeks!"

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"Lumen Mortgage was excellent to work with. They were there step by step explaining everything. This was exceptional as I was helping my parents (English 2nd language) through this process. The team was patient and super informative."

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Our loan officers will review your scenario, walk you through your options, and guide you from application to close — with full transparency at every step.

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