Borrower path
First-time buyer
“I need to understand what I can realistically afford.”
Compare eligible low-down-payment, conventional, and government-backed paths in the context of your complete financial picture.
Explore this pathYour mortgage.Made clear.
Begin with your situation
The right mortgage is not always the obvious one.
Buying a home in Winthrop or refinancing elsewhere in Massachusetts starts with your goals, the property, and your financial picture. Ardi helps you connect those details before comparing mortgage options.
Borrower path
Self-employed
“My tax return does not tell the whole income story.”
Explore how traditional and alternative documentation programs may evaluate business income, deposits, assets, or 1099 earnings.
Explore this pathBorrower path
Real-estate investor
“The property and the strategy both matter.”
Evaluate conventional investment, jumbo, DSCR, portfolio, multi-family, and refinance structures without reducing the decision to one metric.
Explore this pathBorrower path
Complex income & assets
“My assets are stronger than a traditional income profile suggests.”
Consider whether jumbo, asset-depletion, asset-utilization, bank-statement, or other Non-QM options may fit the scenario.
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Mortgage programs.
View the full program guideConventional
Fixed, adjustable, high-balance, and flexible purchase paths.
FHA
Purchase, renovation, and refinance structures subject to FHA guidelines.
VA
Purchase and refinance paths for eligible military borrowers.
USDA
Purchase and refinance paths subject to borrower and property eligibility.
Jumbo
Purchase and refinance structures above applicable conforming limits.
First-time homebuyer
Low-down-payment and affordable-housing paths for eligible buyers.
Investment property
Financing structures for non-owner-occupied real estate.
DSCR
Investment financing that may evaluate qualifying property cash flow.
Multi-family
Owner-occupied and investment paths for two- to four-unit properties.
Self-employed / Non-QM
Alternative-documentation paths that still require program-specific review.
Asset-based
Options that may consider eligible assets when evaluating qualifying income.
Foreign national
Purchase and refinance paths under specific documentation guidelines.
Specialty
Borrower and property profiles that may need a more specific structure.
Renovation / construction
Financing paths that account for improvements or new construction.
Refinance
Options evaluated against the current mortgage, property, and goal.
Articles & Insights
Understand the strategy before choosing a path.
Market analysis, real-world case studies, program spotlights, and tactical playbooks to help inform every mortgage decision.
View allHow the Federal Reserve and 10-year treasury yields drive mortgage rates
Why the Fed funds rate does not directly set 30-year mortgage pricing, and how inflation reports shift daily lender rate sheets.
ReadRate-and-term vs. cash-out refinance: calculating the true break-even
Evaluating closing costs, amortization resets, and blended interest rates when extracting equity or restructuring existing mortgage debt.
ReadDSCR loan basics: understanding the property cash-flow question
A DSCR program evaluates qualifying property rental income against its monthly debt obligation without requiring personal tax returns or W-2s.
ReadCommon questions
Useful answers before the first conversation.
Mortgage guidelines change and every file is different. These answers are general education, not personal financial advice or a commitment to lend.
Read every questionWhat types of mortgage loans do you work with?
Options may include conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, investment property, DSCR, bank-statement, Non-QM, asset-based, renovation, construction, specialty, and refinance programs. Availability and eligibility vary by borrower, property, investor guidelines, and state.
Can a self-employed borrower qualify for a mortgage?
Yes, self-employed borrowers may qualify through traditional income documentation or, when eligible, alternative documentation such as bank statements, a profit-and-loss statement, 1099 income, or qualifying assets. The right documentation depends on the loan program and the complete file.
What is a DSCR loan?
A debt service coverage ratio loan is an investment-property program that may evaluate the property's qualifying rental income against its housing obligation. Requirements, calculation methods, reserves, credit, and property standards vary by program.
Can I finance a two-, three-, or four-family property?
Financing may be available for owner-occupied and investment 2–4-unit properties through conventional, FHA, VA, and DSCR programs where applicable. Occupancy, projected or existing rents, reserves, and property condition can affect the available path.
What options may be available to a first-time buyer?
Depending on borrower, property, and eligibility requirements, options may include eligible low-down-payment conventional programs, HomeReady, Home Possible, FHA, VA, USDA, and approved affordable-housing programs. No single option is right for every buyer.
Do you offer jumbo mortgage options?
Jumbo fixed-rate and adjustable-rate purchase, refinance, and cash-out options may be available. Qualifying standards can differ from conforming loans, particularly for assets, reserves, property type, and income documentation.
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