Mortgage guidesThe deep dives.
Long-form, in-Jesse's-voice walkthroughs on the loan types that need more than a brochure — owner financing, foreign-national lending, USDA rural development, fix-and-flip, and more.
Corporate Bonds in Commercial Real Estate: A Financing Guide
Corporate bonds let CRE developers raise 5-30 year fixed-rate capital, typically at 5-7% for BBB issuers and 8-12% for non-investment-grade, with covenants like 1.25x DSCR. Used well, they enable yield arbitrage from upfront proceeds and 10-30 bps savings on green bonds — but make-whole calls can cost 5-10% over par and C-PACE liens create senior-lien friction.
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Investor Financing · June 26, 2026Foreign National Loans: A Guide for Non-U.S. Citizens
Non-U.S. citizens can get U.S. mortgages through foreign national loan programs — typically DSCR loans qualified on the property's rent (100% of long-term rent, 75% of short-term), full-doc loans backed by a home-country CPA letter, or ITIN loans capped at 50% DTI with a 5% borrower contribution on primary and second homes.
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Mortgage News · June 24, 2026Rural Land Development Loan: Your Complete USDA Guide
A USDA Section 502 Guaranteed rural development loan finances a primary home in a USDA-eligible rural area with 0% down, no monthly PMI, a 30-year term, and a typical 640+ credit score, capped at 115% of area median income. Section 502 Direct serves very low and low income borrowers (50-80% of AMI) with rates as low as 1% and 33 or 38-year terms.
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Mortgage News · June 24, 2026Owner Financing: A Complete Guide for Buyers and Sellers
Owner financing is when the seller acts as the bank: the buyer signs a promissory note and a recorded deed of trust or mortgage, and pays the seller directly instead of a lender. Rates typically run 6-10%, down payments 10-20%, and the IRS treats it as an installment sale, letting sellers spread capital-gains tax across the term.
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Investor Financing · June 24, 2026Creative Ways to Finance Your First (or Hundredth) Investment Property
Investment property doesn't have to be financed through a bank. DSCR loans qualify on the property's rent (typically a 1.25 ratio or higher), hard money funds in days at roughly 8 to 15 percent, and seller financing, joint ventures, portfolio loans, and private money fill the gaps a conventional mortgage can't. The investor with the most funding tools wins the deal.
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Mortgage News · June 24, 2026VA Construction Loans: One-Time Close Financing Explained
The VA one-time close construction-to-permanent loan lets eligible veterans wrap the lot purchase, interim build financing, and permanent mortgage into a single loan with one closing at up to 100% LTV, no payments during construction, and the rate locked before the build begins. A 620 FICO is typical, the builder must carry a VA Builder ID, and loan amounts above the county limit require a 25% borrower contribution on the excess.
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Investor Financing · June 24, 2026Fix and Flip Funding: House Flipping Loans Explained
Fix and flip funding is short-term, ARV-based financing built for house flippers — typically requiring 20% to 30% down, a credit score around 620 or higher, and a DTI under 50%. Hard money, private money, bridge, bank, HELOC, and seller financing each trade speed for cost, so match the loan to the project's timeline before you make an offer.
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Mortgage News · June 24, 2026How to Use Alimony Income to Qualify for a Mortgage
Alimony and child support count as qualifying mortgage income when three conditions are met: the award is established in a divorce decree or separation agreement, you have already received at least six monthly payments on time, and documentation shows the income will continue for at least three more years. Voluntary or informal payments do not count.
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