Sixteen programmes
Every loan we describe, in one place
Grouped by how they are underwritten, not by how they are usually sold. If you do not know which of these you are looking for, start from how you are paid instead — that is the question that actually narrows it.
01
Conventional
Agency-eligible loans. They price best, and they are the strictest about documentation.
02
Government-backed
Backed by FHA, VA or USDA. More forgiving on credit and down payment, with their own insurance rules — which is where most calculators get the payment wrong.
03
Jumbo & specialty
Above the county limit, or against a property that needs work. No agency backing, so the lender carries the risk and underwrites accordingly.
04
Investor & non-QM
Underwritten on something other than a tax return: deposits, a signed statement, assets, or the property’s own rent.
05
Programmes
Not loans in themselves — layers that sit on top of one, or a way of turning equity into cash.
A better first question
Which of these you need is downstream
Sixteen product names is a filing system, and it is the lender's, not yours. What actually decides your options is what you can put in front of an underwriter — so the five routes below narrow this list far faster than reading it does.
- Paystubs and W-2sThe straight strand. Salaried and hourly income, evidenced by paystubs, W-2s and a verbal verification of employment.
- Bank statementsTwelve or twenty-four months of deposits, with an expense factor applied. Built for owners whose tax return is written to minimise tax, not to qualify for a loan.
- Profit and lossA CPA-prepared profit-and-loss statement, sometimes with 1099s alongside it. The shortest route when your accountant already has the numbers.
- AssetsNo income used at all. A verified pool of liquid assets is divided across the term to produce a qualifying figure. Common for retirees and for people between ventures.
- Rental incomeThe property qualifies, not you. Market rent is compared with the full housing payment to produce a debt-service coverage ratio.