CONVENTIONAL
Flexible mainstream financing with different down-payment, mortgage-insurance, and credit considerations.
01 · BUY
Find the home.
Know the numbers before you fall in love with it.
Buying a home gets a lot easier when you understand the complete payment, the cash you may need, and the financing strategy before you start making offers.
02 · START WHERE YOU ARE
Where are you right now?
Your next move depends on where you are today.
YOUR NEXT MOVELet’s start with the complete payment and build your comfortable range from there.
03 · THE COMPLETE PICTURE
What actually determines your buying power?
The home price is only one number. The complete picture is what matters.
MONTHLY PAYMENTReveal +
Look beyond principal and interest. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA, and other applicable costs can materially change the real monthly payment.
CASH NEEDED TO CLOSEReveal +
Your total cash may involve down payment, closing costs, prepaid items, credits, deposits, and transaction-specific factors.
DOWN PAYMENTReveal +
More down is not automatically better. The right amount depends on available cash, loan program, monthly payment goals, reserves, and your overall strategy.
CREDITReveal +
Credit can influence available loan programs, pricing, mortgage insurance, and overall financing options.
DEBT-TO-INCOMEReveal +
Monthly obligations matter because lenders evaluate the relationship between qualifying income and recurring debt.
LOAN PROGRAMReveal +
Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, and specialty financing can behave very differently depending on the borrower and property.
PROPERTY TAXESReveal +
Two similarly priced homes can have very different payments because property taxes vary.
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCEReveal +
Insurance is part of the complete housing payment and can vary significantly by home and location.
HOAReveal +
An HOA payment affects the true monthly cost and may also affect qualifying.
04 · COMPARE YOUR PATHS
There isn’t a perfect mortgage.
There’s the mortgage that fits your situation.
FHA
A financing path worth comparing for buyers who may benefit from FHA’s specific qualification and down-payment structure.
VA
For eligible Veterans, Active Duty service members, and qualifying borrowers, VA financing may provide significant advantages depending on the individual transaction.
USDA
For eligible borrowers and eligible properties, USDA financing may provide a path worth exploring.
JUMBO
Designed for loan amounts above conforming limits when the transaction requires larger financing.
SPECIALTY / NON-QM
Alternative financing solutions may exist when income, assets, property, or the scenario does not fit traditional lending guidelines.
MILITARY & VA
Veteran or Active Duty?
Your VA benefit may change the buying strategy. Let’s make sure it gets evaluated.05 · KNOW THE NUMBERS
See the payment before you shop.
Home price gets the attention. The monthly payment determines how the house fits your life.
06 · PLAN THE CASH
Cash to close is more than a down payment.
Several transaction-specific amounts may shape the final number. This is a planning framework—not a Loan Estimate.
01Down payment+
The amount applied toward the purchase price depends on the selected strategy and available funds.
02Closing costs+
Lender, title, settlement, recording, and other transaction-specific costs may apply.
03Prepaid taxes / insurance+
A transaction may include prepaid interest, taxes, insurance, or similar items.
04Escrow funding when applicable+
An initial escrow deposit may be needed when taxes and insurance are collected with the payment.
05Earnest money / deposits+
Deposits already made may affect the remaining funds needed at closing.
06Seller / lender credits when applicable+
Eligible credits may offset certain allowable costs depending on the transaction and program.
07Program-specific fees when applicable+
Some financing paths include fees that must be evaluated within the complete scenario.
07 · PROPERTY-SPECIFIC NUMBERS
The house changes the payment.
Same price. Different property. Different payment.
HYPOTHETICAL HOME A View payment factors
Purchase price Same sample price
Property taxes Lower example
Insurance Property-specific
Mortgage insurance When applicable
HOA None in this example
VS
HYPOTHETICAL HOME B View payment factors
Purchase price Same sample price
Property taxes Higher example
Insurance Property-specific
Mortgage insurance When applicable
HOA Applies in this example
Educational comparison only. No rate, payment, approval, or availability is quoted or guaranteed.
Run the Numbers08 · BEFORE YOU MAKE THE OFFER
Know the strategy before the emotion takes over.
Know your comfortable payment
Understand estimated cash needed
Know which loan paths are worth comparing
Understand the property-specific payment
Review financing before making the offer
Keep your agent aligned with the financing strategy
Ask questions BEFORE you are under pressure
09 · WORK TOGETHER
Your agent + your financing strategy
The strongest buying experience happens when the real estate strategy and financing strategy work together. Clay can help you and your real estate professional understand mortgage considerations before and during the offer process while staying clearly within the mortgage-advisor role.
10 · YOUR NEXT MOVE
Ready to shop smarter?
Let’s make sure you understand the payment, the cash, and the strategy before the right house shows up.