3. Jumbo when the amount exceeds conforming or government-backed limits If you will live in the home but the loan amount is larger than the conforming limit for that county — or larger than what an FHA or VA program will back on that property — the file often moves to jumbo. Jumbo is not a different occupancy; it is a larger owner-occupied (or second-home, when allowed) loan that sits above those limits. County limits and property type matter, so the same purchase price can be conforming in one market and jumbo in another.
4. DSCR for 1–4 unit investment cash-flow qualification DSCR is for non-owner-occupied 1–4 unit rentals. Qualification looks at whether the property’s expected rent can cover the proposed payment at the program’s required ratio — not at a traditional W-2 debt-to-income calculation. That is why landlords and self-employed investors often consider it. It is a business-purpose loan. You generally cannot occupy the home.
5. Fix and flip for purchase plus rehab, short term Fix-and-flip (and similar short-term rehab financing) is built for a purchase that needs work, then a sale or a refinance once the property is renovated. It is not the same as an FHA 203(k) you live in, and it is not the same as a DSCR hold once the rents support a longer-term loan. If the exit is “fix it and sell” or “fix it and refinance into a rental loan,” start here and plan the exit with Dan — do not assume the takeout loan.
6. Refinance versus purchase The same six programs can apply on a purchase or a refinance , but the questions shift. On a purchase you are matching occupancy, down payment, and property condition to a new loan. On a refinance you already own the home — rate-and-term, cash-out, a rental refinance into DSCR, or a bridge after rehab. Start on the purchase or refinance page that matches the transaction, then pick the program.
7. Run the calculators, then talk to Dan Use the mortgage calculators to sketch a payment, affordability, or refinance comparison. Those tools are estimates. They do not include every fee, insurance premium, or program overlay, and they are not a loan approval. After you have a ballpark, talk with Dan so the numbers reflect your occupancy, credit, and the actual property — not a webpage average.
Side by side
Open the program page that matches how you will use the property. Themes below are educational — eligibility still depends on the file, the property, and current investor guidelines.
Occupancy still decides
Two similar properties on the same street can need completely different financing. The one you live in may fit FHA, VA, conventional, or jumbo. The one you rent as a 1–4 unit investment may fit DSCR. The one that needs a full rehab before anyone lives there or pays rent may fit a fix-and-flip loan, with a planned sale or refinance afterward.
Mixing those purposes is where files stall. Do not apply for an owner-occupied program on a house you intend to rent immediately, and do not assume a DSCR loan will fund a heavy rehab the way a fix-and-flip loan is structured. Tell Dan the real plan for the property.
What this article will not do
Credit-score cutoffs, exact down-payment minimums beyond the high-level FHA and VA themes above, debt-to-income ratios, DSCR thresholds, and interest rates change by investor, property, and market. Publishing a number here as if it were your quote would be misleading. Dan confirms current guidelines against your address, occupancy, and credit.
Nothing on this page is a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity. If you want a file started, use Get started, call (407) 468-6429 , or email [email protected] .
Keep reading
Talk through your scenario
Leave a note for Dan O'Brien at Emerald Mortgage Partners. This form goes to the team — it is not a live origination system and is not a commitment to lend. Mention occupancy, purchase or refinance, and whether the property is a home, a rental, or a rehab.
Prefer to talk now? Call (407) 468-6429 or email [email protected] . Office: 498 Palm Springs Drive, Ste 138, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701.
Your message was sent. Dan or someone from Emerald Mortgage Partners will follow up using the contact details you provided.
Name and email are required. Your note is tagged as an Insights inquiry about choosing a loan program.
Start a file, send a note, or call Dan O'Brien at Emerald Mortgage Partners. Licensed in Florida and Georgia · NMLS 337465 · Company NMLS 1583337.
Emerald Mortgage Partners
Dan O'Brien | Emerald Mortgage Partners 498 Palm Springs Drive, Ste 138 Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Direct: (407) 468-6429 [email protected]
Explore
Licensing
Personal NMLS: 337465 Corporate NMLS: 1583337 Licensed in FL & GA NMLS Consumer Access
Equal Housing Opportunity. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval. Rates, terms, and programs are subject to change without notice. Eligibility depends on occupancy, the property, the borrower, and current investor guidelines.
© 2026 Emerald Mortgage Partners All rights reserved.