The Smarter Way
to Get Your
Mortgage

PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) protects the lender if you default on your loan. You'll need it on conventional loans when your down payment is less than 20%. PMI typically costs 0.5%–1.5% of your loan amount annually. The good news: once you reach 20% equity in your home, you can request to have PMI removed. FHA loans have their own version called MIP, which works differently.

Yes — conventional loans are one of the most common ways to finance investment properties. You'll typically need 15–25% down depending on the number of units, a minimum 620–680 credit score, and the property must be non-owner occupied. You can finance up to 10 conventional investment properties. For larger portfolios, DSCR loans are often a better fit since they qualify on rental income rather than personal income.

A fixed-rate mortgage keeps the same interest rate for the entire loan term — your payment never changes. An ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage) starts with a lower fixed rate for an initial period (typically 5, 7, or 10 years), then adjusts periodically based on market indexes. ARMs can make sense if you plan to sell or refinance before the adjustment period, but fixed rates offer more long-term stability and predictability.

The conforming loan limit is the maximum loan amount that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will purchase from lenders. For 2026, the limit in Orange County is $1,149,825 for a single-family home — one of the highest in the nation due to California's high home values. Loans above this limit are called jumbo loans and have different qualification requirements, typically requiring higher credit scores and larger down payments.

Start with a free 15-minute call. We pull a soft credit check (no impact to your score), review your income and assets, and give you real numbers — not estimates. Most clients get pre-approved the same day.

Usually 1 business day once you submit your documents. We'll need your last 2 pay stubs, 2 months of bank statements, and a photo ID.

Not at all. FHA loans start at 3.5% down, conventional can be as low as 3%, and VA loans for veterans require $0 down. We also have down payment assistance programs that can cover your entire down payment.

Our initial review uses a soft pull — zero impact. Only when you decide to move forward do we do a hard pull, and we'll always ask first.

Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on what you tell us. Pre-approval is a verified, lender-reviewed letter based on your actual documents — much stronger when making an offer.