Investor financing
Can you get a DSCR loan with a ratio below 1.00?
Yes, select programs may consider a ratio below 1.00 or no minimum ratio. See what changes and which tradeoffs are worth comparing.
Read the guide →Resources
Come prepared, close faster.
The checklists, definitions and answers I send clients most often—collected here so you can get a head start.
Mortgage insights
Answers built around real scenarios.
Clear explanations for questions that do not always fit into a one-line guideline.
Document checklist
Everyone
- Photo ID and Social Security number
- Two months of bank statements—all pages
- Two years of residence history
- Down-payment source documentation
W-2 employees
- Last 30 days of pay stubs
- Two years of W-2s
- Tax returns if using bonus or commission income
Self-employed
- 12–24 months of bank statements
- Year-to-date profit and loss statement
- Business license or qualified third-party letter
- Tax returns when applicable
Investors
- Current leases for owned rentals
- Schedule E from recent tax returns
- Mortgage statements and insurance
- Projected or market rent for the property
Homebuying timeline
Week 0
Consultation and credit review
Week 1
Pre-approval issued
Weeks 2–6
Home search and offers
Week 7
Appraisal and underwriting
Week 10
Clear to close and signing
Mortgage glossary
- APR
- The loan's yearly cost including most fees.
- Escrow
- An account used to collect and pay taxes and insurance.
- DTI
- Monthly debts divided by gross monthly income.
- LTV
- Loan amount as a percentage of property value.
- PMI
- Insurance generally required below 20% down on conventional loans.
- Rate lock
- An agreement holding your rate for a defined period.
- Points
- Upfront cost paid to reduce the interest rate.
- DSCR
- An investor loan qualified primarily using rental income.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need for a down payment?
Conventional loans may start at 3%, FHA at 3.5%, and eligible VA and USDA loans may offer zero-down financing. Eligibility and available assistance vary.
Does a pre-approval hurt my credit?
A full pre-approval commonly requires a credit inquiry. Ask whether an initial soft-credit review is available before authorizing a hard inquiry.
How long does closing take?
Many purchases close in roughly 30–45 days, although the contract, appraisal, title work and loan type can change the timeline.
Can heavy business write-offs prevent approval?
They may reduce qualifying income on a traditional loan, but bank-statement, P&L and other non-QM options may be available.
Should I wait for rates to drop?
The answer depends on payment, cash, time horizon and local inventory—not a prediction. Compare today's workable scenario against the cost of waiting.
What is a rate lock?
A rate lock holds an available interest rate for a set period while the loan moves toward closing.