Feb
10
File under small victory: Colorado cracks down on mortgage brokers
File under mortgage + home equity loan + checking account : Aussie ARM can pay off
File under conforming loan limits: It’s still $417,000 in Denver and Colorado. California is a different story.
File under money from the Feds: Rebates, What you need to know
File under 16th & Court makeover: Adam’s Mark sale done
File under not a lopsided trade after all: Manning for Rivers
File under an interesting experiment: Due to Top Five Fridays I rank well for Mailman Newman
Jan
1
Zero down home loan
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Editors Note: Due to the mortgage and credit crunchy, zero down home loans are no longer available. If you’re in need Denver Home Mortgage, we can discuss your mortgage situation.]
Zero down mortgage financing is available to many people. It is very possible for a large number of consumers to qualify for a home purchase without putting any money down. This has become a very competitive market for lenders competing for this business and the number of homeowners who obtain loans with no money down is growing each year.
It is important to realize that while it may be the only way a borrower can purchase a home, a zero down mortgage does carry a higher interest rate. Ultimately the borrower’s goal should be to refinance when there is enough equity to achieve an 80% Loan to Value (LTV).
One option for high credit score borrowers who have minimal disposable cash is to use a 103% loan. This loan allows you to borrow up to 3% in addition to the purchase price to help with closing costs. Ask your preferred mortgage professional if you qualify for a 103 LTV program.
Some conforming zero down programs do require you to contribute at least $500 to the purchase. Your earnest money counts as money towards purchase. You may also be required to pay your hazard insurance out of closing so that will be another out of pocket cost. Ask your mortgage broker for details on the programs they offer.
The most common way mortgage brokers structure “Zero Down” financing is to break the loan amount into a first and a second mortgage, with the first mortgage consisting of 80% of the loan amount needed and the second mortgage being 20%.
Zero down mortgages are a great tool to use, even if you have saved up for a down payment. By choosing the zero down mortgage, your down payment money can now be used for closing costs associated with the loan, moving expenses, new furniture, or any other expenses that you may have when you move into your new home.
If you cannot afford a down payment for your home, there are many down payment assistance programs and grants that may be able to help you purchase your new home. Often these programs are limited to first time home buyers or those with low income. However, there are often no limitations. Call me at and I may be able to find a program that will work for you.
Obtaining a true zero down mortgage is when you will not have to come to closing with any funds of your own. In order to achieve this you will need to either have a no closing cost mortgage which can get expensive, or you can have the sellers pay closing costs. Traditional conforming lenders will generally let the sellers pay up to 3% of your closing costs, while most Alt A and subprime lenders will allow up to 6% in closing costs paid by the seller.
Often times zero down payment programs are available to first time homebuyers. If you need a stated income program you may be able to obtain a stated zero down program with an Alt A or subprime lender.
In 2005, 43% of first time home buyers used zero down programs. You may qualify for one of these programs. Call me now!
Jan
1
Super Jumbo Loan
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Editors Note: Due to the mortgage and credit crunch, Super Jumbo loans are more difficult to obtain. If you’re in need of a super jumbo mortgage in Denver, CO contact us to discuss your mortgage options.
Super jumbo loans are conventional home loans that exceed $1,000,000 (one million dollars)
The majority of super jumbo loans over 2 million dollars require at least two appraisals of the property being financed or refinanced.
The rate on a super jumbo mortgage is higher because the investor is taking on more risk. The risk of default on a super jumbo loan can more greatly affect the lender’s overall portfolio.
Lenders can require up to 2 separate appraisals for these types of loans.
Sometimes you can split the loan up into two separate loans making a first and a second mortgage on the property to accommodate lender requirements.
Many programs exist for borrowers looking for loans over one million dollars. A few of the options are 100% loans, stated income and no ratio options.
Because Super Jumbo Loans are not eligible to be delivered to FNMA or FHLMC, and can only be sold to other investors or held as portfolio loans, they always carry higher interest rates than Conforming loans.
A super jumbo mortgage is a mortgage request exceeding $650,000. A super jumbo mortgage typically has a rate 1/4% higher than your average jumbo mortgage.
Super jumbo loans will always be a little more restrictive on what they require, however funding is always available for any size loan. What sets the lending limits apart for these loans are the higher the amount you wish to borrow, the more restrictive the lending conditions are.
With the rising costs of homes, lenders have expanded their programs to meet the demand. Even with the low start rate Option Arm, you can finance up to 8 million dollars on some programs.
Although some lenders may define these loans as only those above $1,000,000 most lenders use the $650,000 breakpoint for pricing, marketing and underwriting. Remember, the term Super Jumbo Mortgage is used to describe mortgage loans exceeding $650,000 whereas a Jumbo Mortgage refers to loans which simply surpass Fannie Mae’s limits for conforming loans. Finding the right loan officer who understands what lenders concentrate on this market is key to finding the right program.
Jan
1
Subprime lending
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A type of mortgage lending intended to serve borrowers who do not qualify for prime loans because of credit problems or a limited credit history.
Subprime loans that are over 80% typically don’t require Mortgage Insurance. The risk of default is already calculated in the rate.
Subprime loans are a great tool to get credit challenged borrowers into a home quickly without taking the time to clear up past credit issues. When going into a subprime loan it is often advised to opt for a 2/28 or 3/27 vs. a 30 year fixed. A 2/28 or 3/27 loan is fixed for the first 2 to 3 years then becomes an adjustable rate thereafter and offers a lower rate than the 30 year fixed. This 2 to 3 year time period gives you the time to better your situation enabling you to qualify for a conforming loan with lower rates before the rate becomes adjustable.
What’s in a name? A new term making its way in the mortgage industry in response to the term sub-prime. That new term is non-prime. Some lenders believe that calling a loan category “sub” is demeaning and turns off prospective credit challenged borrowers. The term non-prime suggests a less derogatory connotation and may be more viable as a marketing term.
If you do need to borrow over 80% over your home’s value, let us know and we will compare your total monthly payments with PMI on a prime or Alt-A program and without private mortgage insurance on a low rate subprime program for people with fair credit.
Subprime lenders are great for getting first time home buyers, with or without good credit, into a home. Subprime lenders also help borrowers with excellent credit that have other problems getting financed like, proving income, loan to value etc.
These are mortgages offered that allow for credit problems, higher loan to values, higher cash out amounts, no PMI insurance. They also have looser underwriting guidelines, ignoring charge offs, judgments and collections. Also underwriting turn around times can be much faster. Sub-prime mortgages were designed for those people who don’t fit into the small box that conventional underwriting allows for. With a Sub-prime mortgage you can secure a loan with credit scores as low as 500. Obtain no income verification loans with scores as low as 600. In many cases you can combine your first and second mortgage, secure a lower rate, avoid private mortgage insurance and save hundreds of dollars per month.
Mortgage brokers are usually the only source for subprime loans, as these loans are almost never offered by neighborhood banks. Most mortgage brokers have a network of mortgage banks that offer loan programs for all sorts of unconventional situations.
These types of loans are available to help borrowers with past credit history obtain mortgage financing. They are usually put in an ARM loan, fixed for a couple years so they can begin with a lower rate. This gives them time to work on their credit and ultimately refinance into a loan with better terms
Subprime lending refers to the extension of credit to persons who are considered to be higher-risk borrowers. In lending parlance, their credit ratings are “B” or “C” rather than “A” or “A-”. Lenders typically price subprime loans to borrowers at rates of interest and points and fees slightly higher than conventional loans.
Lenders feel that people who have not handled credit well in the past are at a greater risk of failing to repay their loans. Standard-priced loans are typically made to people with good credit history because their past record proves to lenders that they are at low risk of default.
Subprime lending offers many choices today. You can now get a home loan with credit scores in the 400’s, have late payments, bankruptcies, foreclosures, but all will reflect the interest rate that you will receive.
Subprime lenders are a huge asset to the population of people wanting to purchase homes that don’t fall under normal underwriting guidelines. Many people would not be able to purchase their dream home without Brokers providing these types of loans consequently causing less sales in the market place and a slower economy. Fill out the online form today and get started on your home search.
Loans to borrowers whose credit is less than perfect will almost always be subprime loans. There are also other circumstances that lead to subprime loans, including high outstanding debt, unproven income, etc. Even borrowers with good credit may receive subprime loans for a variety of reason, including lack of verifiable rental history or liquid cash reserve requirements.
One solution if you have a low credit score is to purchase the home with a sub-prime lender and then clean up your credit score. Once the bad credit score is improved then refinance the home with a lower rate.
Especially when borrowing more than 80% of the value of your home, the slightly higher rates which lenders charge borrowers who have less than perfect credit are more than made up for by the savings the borrower receives by not having to pay for Private Mortgage Insurance which would have been required of a borrower with perfect credit.
Do you feel you are a subprime borrower? I can understand how this can be intimidating and I want to thank you for reading the information above. If you would like to continue this conversation than please contact me so you and I can discuss your financial situation. Please read more valuable information and when you feel comfortable I would like you to contact me.
First time home buyers may opt for subprime loans when they have little savings. Typically the asset requirements for subprime loans are not as strict as prime loans.
Common subprime candidate could possibly be Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, or major Credit Card Debt. Consult a Mortgage Professional so they help you obtain a home with little money down even carrying these difficult charges against your personal history.
Subprime is not for just poor credit borrowers. Any time you go over 80% loan to value, you get non prime rates.
The key to getting a sub-prime loan is disclosure. Although you may have been turned down by a bank for a certain incident in your credit history you need to be honest with your mortgage broker and disclose all the possible occurrences in your credit history that may prevent your loan from closing. Mortgage Brokers are experts in finding the right lender to fit your needs. If anything has been omitted the lender will find it and wonder why a broker did not submit the information. Lenders do not like surprises. So, disclose everything, good or bad, from your credit history and let the Mortgage Broker find the right lender for you.
As a rule, lenders offer subprime rates to customers who have credit scores below 620. If your score is higher than that, you should be able to qualify for a better interest rate. If not, you can either accept the higher rates from lenders, or take time to improve your score by paying off some bills or resolve previous collections and charge off’s in a timely manner.
Everyone wants to qualify for loans at the lowest interest rates and with the most favorable conditions, but for those with severely blemished credit reports, the odds of doing so may not be attainable, but there may still be programs available.
Jan
1
Qualifying ratios
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Ratios used to determine whether a borrower can qualify for a mortgage. They are based on a borrowers housing expense as a percentage of income and his total debt as a percentage of income.
Debt to Income Ratio or DTI can be improved by paying down liabilities with high monthly payments compared to the balance on the account. In some cases some of your debts can be excluded from the calculation of your DTI. For example if you have an auto loan and you have less than 10 payments left you can exclude this monthly payment from the calculation thus reducing your DTI.
There are several loan types that can help you if you have a high debt ratio with good credit. One is called a No Ratio loan: The Borrower’s source of income is verified, but the income amount is neither disclosed nor verified. The second type of loan is called No Income No Asset: The Borrower’s employment, income, or assets are not disclosed or verified. A third type of loan usually associated with FHA is the Streamline loan: No income documentation or disclosure is required.
When evaluating your Debt-to-Income ratio, the Back DTI plays a more important role than the Front DTI. The Front DTI is calculated by dividing the proposed housing expenses, also referred to as PITI, by the borrowers’ total gross income. Housing expenses or PITI is defined as the inevitable expenses incurred as a direct result of owning the subject property, such as mortgage payment, property tax, hazard insurance, (hence the acronym for Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance), homeowner association dues, private mortgage insurance, etc. The Back DTI is calculated by dividing the borrowers’ total monthly obligations by the total gross monthly income. Total monthly obligations includes not only the housing expenses, but also all installment debt payments such as leased/financed vehicle and credit card payments. Most lender banks would allow a borrower’s Front DTI ratio to go above 45% if the borrower has no other obligations.
Qualifying ratios also called your debit to income ratios or debt load consist of your total verifiable gross monthly income divided by your new proposed payment, all your other monthly debits such as minimum payments on charge cards, auto loan or lease payments, student loans, consumer loans, child support and alimony.
A debt to income ratio is simply a way of determining how much money is available for your monthly mortgage payment after all your other recurring debt obligations are met. Qualifying ratios are guidelines, an excellent credit history can help you qualify for a mortgage loan even if your debt load is over and above the limit. Typically conventional loans have a qualifying ratio of 28/36. Usually an FHA loan will allow for a higher debt load, reflected in a higher (29/41) qualifying ratio. The first number in a qualifying ratio is the maximum percentage of your gross monthly income that can be applied to housing (including loan principal and interest, private mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, property taxes and homeowner’s association dues). The second number is the maximum percentage of your gross monthly income that can be applied to housing expenses and recurring debt. Recurring debt includes things like car loans, child support and monthly credit card payments.
Not all monthly debts/liabilities have to be taken into consideration when determining the amount of a borrower’s recurring monthly debt obligations. Such liabilities are known as contingent liabilities. Some of the most common that may be exempt under certain circumstances are co-signed loans, court-ordered assignment of debt, and loans secured by financial assets
Many mortgage lenders have thrown those old ratios out the window, approving household debt ratios in excess of 50% of income. If over 50% of your income is going to debt service you will be forced to either live a very shallow life with little or no funds for saving, investment or enjoyment, or, worse, are headed for a financial disaster.
Qualifying ratios are only a rough guidelines and underwriters consider many variables in their analysis. Many times, borrowers fall outside the guidelines, but have strong compensating factors that reflect low credit risk. Some compensating factors are history of savings, long-term job stability, a substantial down payment or excellent credit history will influence the decision to approve or deny a particular loan.
There are loan programs such as No Ratio and No Doc, that will basically avoid the debt ratio calculation for you. The only one that can make this decision, is the borrower. They are the person that will have to make the payments, with or without the calculation.
Automated underwriting can also bypass the typical qualifying ratios. Automated underwriting takes into consideration credit and assets and can give approvals for debt ratios or 50,60,or 70% or more.
The front-end ratio, or front ratio, compares your monthly pre-tax income with your house payment. The other ratio that lenders look at is the back-end ratio, or back ratio. This calculates how much of your pre-tax income will payments— such as auto loans, credit cards, go toward your house payment, plus all of your other monthly debt etc. It can be useful to figure out these numbers yourself and see if the house payment you have in mind may actually cause you undue financial risk.
Many times on a refinance loan the way to lower your ratios is to pay off debt at the time of the refinance, this reduces your monthly payments and in turn, your ratios.
Some lenders are stricter about qualifying ratios than others. Just being within the lender’s debt to income ratio limits is only one aspect of qualifying for a home loan. Most lenders will consider the overall financial picture. If everything looks good, a lender may allow you to carry more debt. When shopping for a new home, it is always wise to be pre-approved, so that you’ll know specifically what price range and loan payment fits your budget. Remember to be Pre-Approved, Pre-Qualified is just not enough.
How much house can you afford? That’s what lenders want to know when making their decisions about your mortgage. If you are having trouble qualifying for a loan program because of your ratios, contact us and ask about extending the term or discussing a temporary buy down to help you qualify.
Qualifying ratios can prevent purchasers from obtaining a home however there is an opportunity to use a 40 year mortgage to reduce the payment by extending the term and therefore create a more favorable qualifying ratio calculation.
Many lenders allow debt to income ratios to go as high as 55%. Meaning the new mortgage payments plus all existing monthly liabilities can be as high as 55% of the borrowers total gross income.
On conforming loans, you can still usually get an approval even if your debt ratios are higher than the set standards. Low loan to value ratios and lots of reserves can offset higher debt to income ratios.
Although your ratios may be high you can still qualify for alternative programs with higher ratios. For the most part a lender will look at what’s reported on your credit report to determine your ratios. The best thing for you to do is consult a Professional Mortgage Broker and have them look at your credit to see where your ratios are and what you qualify for. And remember that safe secure online forms from a Mortgage Website is the fastest way to achieve this.
Jan
1
Prepayment penalty
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A lenders charge to the borrower for paying off the loan before the end of the term. It is present in some mortgages, preventing borrowers from rapidly refinancing.
Under most circumstances, there will be no pre-payment penalty on conforming, FHA or VA loans.
Some prepayment penalties will only apply if you refinance your home within the prepay period, and not if you sell your home. This is generally referred to as a “soft” prepay.
Hard Prepay penalty pertains to a penalty whether you sell or refinance while the soft pre-pay only pertains to a penalty if you refinance. The soft prepay will not affect you if you sell.
Some states prohibit prepayment penalties.
A penalty may or may not apply to repayment resulting from a home sale. If you are 100% sure that you won’t be selling your home soon then it may be a good idea to get mortgage financing that includes a prepayment penalty, especially if the lower interest rate in trade is well worth it.
Most lenders will allow you to buy-out the pre-payment penalty. The charges will vary among lenders.
If you pay off your mortgage before it is due, you may be charged a fee — this is referred to as a prepayment penalty.
Pre-Payment penalties generally enable lenders to offer borrowers lower interest rates for the life of the loan, so if you are going to be in your house longer than 2 years, a pre-payment penalty can prove to be more beneficial than the word “penalty” would indicate, resulting in large savings over the long term, especially on fixed rate loans.
Prepayment penalties on a loan offering can change the rate you pay for your mortgage. Many times you can pay a higher rate to reduce your prepayment penalty with that lender. This is one of many reasons why different mortgage brokers quotes may vary with the same borrower information.
Prepayment Penalty can be used as a tax write-off at the end of your current year. Please advise your tax consultant in regards to laws and guidelines. He/she may help you recoup the costs if you should break the contract between you and your bank.
Paying a prepayment penalty on some types of loans can carry a lower interest rate than not having one. If you feel certain that you will be remaining in the home for a period that exceeds the length of the penalty it may be a wise decision to go with the lower rate.
Many of today’s loans come with prepayment penalties. Typically, a prepayment penalty is charged if the borrower repays the loan within the first 2-3 years. This payment is usually equal to six months interest. If you are just a few months out from the expiration of your penalty period, you may want to wait it out before refinancing. However, even with a penalty the long term savings of locking in a lower fixed rate today could more than cover the penalty.
Depending on the state you live in and whether your loan was originated as a purchase transaction or a refinance, some states do not allow Pre-Payment Penalties (PPP) imposed on pre-paying a loan that was originated as a purchase. Others have laws that limit the number of years in a Pre Payment period for different transaction types. Most banks let you pre-pay up to 20% of the outstanding balance without subjecting you to a PPP.
Jan
1
Poor Credit Loans
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Poor credit loans are loans where the borrower has had some problems with their credit and cant qualify for a conforming loan.
To offset the poor credit lenders require a higher interest rate than on a conforming loans.
There are loan programs available specifically for borrowers with poor credit, but there are often extreme limitations that may keep the borrower from being able to qualify. For example, with a 475 fico score, you may be able to qualify for a loan, but only for 70% of the value of the home. This would mean that you would have to come up with a 30% down payment if you are purchasing the home. For most borrowers, this would prevent them from being able to buy the home.
Poor Credit Loans are available to consumers that fit into a fico score bracket starting as low as 475. Lenders view mortgage history and consumer credit as a part of the approval process for most poor credit loan situations. LTV or (Loan to Value) is also a factor in the approval process of a poor credit loan. Lending institutions limit the LTV to a 70% qualifying percentage, your appraised value or equity position in your home determines the LTV. Good mortgage history, consumer credit, and LTV are the 3 keys in the loan process which will help you qualify for a refinance or purchase of home.
Lenders charge more points and higher interest rates to those with poor credit. Loans to borrowers with poor credit carry far more risk and lenders deserve compensation for this risk. Borrowers with good credit should not let themselves enter into a loan agreement where they pay points and rates based on a bad credit loan. One national company recently filed bankruptcy to protect themselves from litigation on fraudulent loan practices.
Lenders make a clear distinction between Poor Credit profile and No Credit profile. No Credit merely means the borrower has not had a history of using credit. A person with Poor Credit/Bad Credit profile has demonstrated a pattern of mishandling credit.
Jan
1
Also called a jumbo loan. Conventional home mortgages not eligible for sale and delivery to either Fannie Mae (FNMA) or Freddie Mac (FHLMC) because of various reasons, including loan amount, loan characteristics or underwriting guidelines. Nonconforming loans usually incur a rate and origination fee premium.
With the emergence of new lenders and programs to the mortgage market on a weekly basis there is a loan program for just about anyone whether conforming or non-conforming. Just check with you online Mortgage Professional to see what you qualify for.
Conforming loan limits will adjust to $400,000 in most states in December.
A Non-conforming loan simply means a loan that is outside of the standard guidelines set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the two government-sponsored enterprises that insure loans on the secondary mortgage market). Non-conforming loans have no set guidelines and vary widely from lender to lender. But most often non-conforming loans are mortgages that have larger loan balances, require less documentation, and have flexible credit score requirements. These loans carry an additional risk to the lender and as such the rates are higher.
Non-conforming loans have less stringent rules on fees that can apply to your loan, so review the details carefully.
The demand for nonconforming loans is gaining strength at just about the right time. Its growing presence is throwing lifelines to a record number of perplexed homeowners facing higher sales prices or stiff documentation requirements.
Non conforming loans has strict loan-to-value guidelines.
Conforming loans are available now with Stated Income, Stated Assets or “SIVA”
A Non Conforming Loan is a loan with an unpaid principal balance or an unexpired term that exceeds lending limitations established by the principal purchasers and guarantors of the secondary mortgage market; the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Federal National Mortgage Association.
Jumbo loans are one type of non-conforming loans, due to the loan amounts exceeding the maximum limits adopted by FNMA and FHLMC. Besides exceeding the loan amount limits, loans can be non-conforming for other reasons, such as the borrower’s credit profile, income/employment situations, cash reserves, property type, etc.
Non-conforming loans typically have a higher rate and different requirements for your down payment.
Jan
1
Jumbo Loans
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Jumbo loans exceed the maximum conventional loan amount established by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They are available as fixed rate mortgages, adjustable rate mortgages, or negative amortization mortgages.
These type of loans facilitate the high-end purchase of expensive homes, vacation homes, investment property and upscale luxury homes. They are very attractive for primary occupants or investors who want to leverage their assets.
For 2006 jumbo loans are home loans that exceed $400,000 for single family homes (amounts are higher in Hawaii and Alaska).
For duplex, the conforming loan limit for 2006 is $533,850, $645,300 for three-family residence, and $801,950 for four-family homes.
Jumbo loans that are sold to investors on the secondary market are not created by the quasi-government agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Because of this, the investors perceive these loans as a little more risky and demand a slightly high rate of return. This is why the interest rates on Jumbo loans are normally .25% to 1% higher than their conforming counterparts.
2006 Jumbo loans will start at $418,000
The Jumbo loan limits can change at any time. To know what the limit is at currently, call your mortgage broker.
Jan
1
How much can I afford
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How much house can I afford is a very popular question among homebuyers. The main factor to determine this is your debt to income ratio, or DTI. Different lenders have different requirements and guidelines for what the maximum debt ratio they will allow. Most non-conforming, or subprime, lenders have maximum debt to income ratio limits around 50-55%. Some lenders have lower limits and some lenders have higher limits and through the use of some automated underwriting engines you may even be able to get approved with a DTI of 65%. How high your LTV is, the amount of money your borrowing compared to the purchase price or value of the home, can also affect DTI guidelines. The less money you put down usually the lower DTI that is allowed.
Getting approved beforehand is of the utmost importance so that you can find out how much home you can afford. There are many different variables that will affect how much home you can afford such as how much the property taxes are of the property that you find, whether the house you purchase has an association with and association fee, and how much you end up needing to pay for homeowners insurance. All of these charges will affect your debt to income ratios.
Depending on which loan program you choose will change the amount you will be approved for. Loans that have interest only periods will reduce your monthly payment, therefore allowing you the option of purchasing a more expensive home.
There are other loan programs that do not calculate ratios, called “no ratio” loans. These are very popular for those that may not be able to document all their income. Stated and no ratio loans are very popular programs. Some people although on paper can’t afford x amount, in reality they can truly afford it.
Other sites: Loan Officer | MIP | Investor Loans | Stated Income Loan| Pay Option Arm Calculator