Mortgage Occupancy Requirements Explained

Mortgage Occupancy Requirements Explained

Mortgage occupancy requirements determine whether a property is financed as a primary residence, second home, or investment property.

Occupancy affects:

• Down payment requirements
• Interest-rate pricing
• Mortgage insurance
• Reserve requirements
• Eligible loan programs
• Rental-income treatment
• Property eligibility
• Underwriting risk
• Required closing documents

The correct occupancy classification depends on the borrower’s genuine plans when applying for and closing the mortgage.

A borrower cannot choose primary-residence financing simply because it provides better terms. The intended use of the property must support that classification.

The Three Mortgage Occupancy Types

Most mortgage programs classify residential properties as:

• Principal residence
• Second home
• Investment property

Each category represents a different level of lending risk.

Primary residences usually receive the most favorable financing because borrowers are generally considered less likely to default on the home where they live.

Second homes and investment properties may require:

• Larger down payments
• Higher reserves
• Different pricing
• Additional documentation
• More restrictive underwriting

Current conventional definitions are outlined in Fannie Mae’s Occupancy Types guidance.

What Is a Primary Residence?

A primary residence—also called a principal residence—is the home the borrower genuinely intends to occupy as their main residence.

Indicators may include:

• The borrower will live there most of the year
• The property is reasonably located for employment
• The borrower will receive mail there
• The address will be used for tax and identification purposes
• The borrower’s family will live there
• Utilities will be established for personal occupancy
• The home fits the borrower’s household needs
• The borrower is leaving or selling a current residence

The lender evaluates the complete story rather than relying on one document.

When Must a Borrower Occupy a Primary Residence?

The applicable mortgage documents and loan program determine the exact occupancy requirement.

Many owner-occupied mortgage instruments generally require the borrower to:

• Establish occupancy shortly after closing, commonly within 60 days
• Continue using the property as a primary residence for at least one year

Exceptions may be possible when:

• The lender agrees in writing
• The original occupancy intent was genuine
• Circumstances beyond the borrower’s control change after closing

The borrower should review the occupancy provisions in the security instrument and any occupancy affidavit signed at closing.

Program requirements can differ, especially for FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, and specialized mortgage products.

What Is Occupancy Intent?

Mortgage occupancy is based heavily on the borrower’s honest intent at the time the representations are made.

A legitimate future change does not automatically mean the original occupancy statement was false.

For example, a borrower may genuinely intend to occupy the home but later experience:

• Job relocation
• Military deployment
• Divorce
• Marriage
• Disability
• Family emergency
• Death in the family
• Unexpected financial hardship
• Employer-required transfer
• Need to care for a family member

The important distinction is whether the change was unforeseen or whether the borrower always intended to use the property differently.

What Is a Second Home?

A second home is a property the borrower personally occupies during part of the year but does not use as the primary residence.

Under current Fannie Mae guidelines, a second home must generally:

• Be occupied by the borrower for part of the year
• Be a one-unit dwelling
• Be suitable for year-round occupancy
• Remain under the borrower’s exclusive control
• Not be a timeshare
• Not be primarily structured as rental property
• Not be subject to an agreement giving a management company control over occupancy

Second homes often include:

• Vacation homes
• Lake houses
• Beach properties
• Mountain homes
• Homes near frequently visited family
• Residences used during recurring work assignments
• Properties used seasonally by the borrower

The borrower must genuinely intend to use the property personally.

Does a Second Home Have to Be Far Away?

There is no universal mileage requirement defining a second home.

However, location matters.

The lender may question a second home that is:

• Very close to the primary residence
• Similar to the borrower’s existing home
• Located in the same neighborhood
• Unnecessary for work or personal use
• Already advertised as a rental
• Structured primarily to generate income

A nearby second home may still be legitimate when there is a reasonable explanation.

Examples could include:

• Providing recurring access to a specialized medical facility
• Maintaining a residence near an aging parent
• Using the property for work during part of the week
• Purchasing a waterfront or recreational property
• Accommodating a unique family arrangement

The borrower should explain the intended personal use honestly and completely.

Can a Second Home Be Rented?

Limited rental activity does not automatically make every property an investment property.

Under current Fannie Mae guidelines, rental income identified from an otherwise eligible second home does not necessarily make the loan ineligible as long as:

• The income is not used for mortgage qualification
• The borrower still occupies the property during part of the year
• All other second-home requirements are satisfied
• The borrower maintains exclusive control
• No management arrangement controls occupancy

However, a property primarily intended or operated as a rental should generally be classified as an investment property.

Short-term-rental plans should be disclosed before closing.

See When Does a Second Home Become an Investment Property?

Second Homes and Property Management Agreements

A second home generally cannot be subject to an arrangement requiring the borrower to:

• Place the property in a rental pool
• Allow a management company to control occupancy
• Rent the property for specified periods
• Surrender personal access
• Participate in a mandatory short-term-rental program

Condo-hotel and resort arrangements can create additional eligibility problems even when the borrower intends some personal use.

The lender must evaluate both occupancy and property eligibility.

Related resources include Condo Mortgage Requirements and Non-Warrantable Condo Financing.

What Is an Investment Property?

An investment property is residential real estate the borrower owns but does not personally occupy as a primary residence or eligible second home.

Examples include:

• Long-term rental home
• Short-term rental
• Vacation rental operated for income
• Non-owner-occupied duplex
• Non-owner-occupied triplex
• Non-owner-occupied fourplex
• Property purchased for a tenant
• Home intended for resale
• Property occupied exclusively by someone else
• Property acquired primarily for income or appreciation

Investment-property financing generally carries different:

• Down payment requirements
• Pricing
• reserve requirements
• Rental-income rules
• Loan-to-value limits
• underwriting standards

The borrower should not request owner-occupied financing for a property intended to operate as a rental from the beginning.

Why Occupancy Affects Mortgage Terms

Historical lending performance generally indicates that borrowers prioritize their primary residence during financial hardship.

Investment properties carry additional risk because:

• Rental income may stop
• Tenants may damage the property
• Vacancy may occur
• Maintenance costs may be higher
• The borrower may prioritize another residence
• Property values and rents may fluctuate
• Management expenses may increase

Second homes also carry more risk than primary residences because they are not the borrower’s essential housing.

Mortgage pricing and eligibility reflect these differences.

What Is Occupancy Fraud?

Occupancy fraud occurs when a borrower intentionally misrepresents how a property will be used to obtain financing or terms that would not otherwise be available.

Examples may include:

• Claiming a rental property will be a primary residence
• Claiming a second home will be personally occupied when it will be rented full-time
• Stating that a family member’s home will be the borrower’s residence without intending to live there
• Signing an occupancy affidavit the borrower knows is false
• Concealing an existing lease
• Advertising the property for rent before closing while claiming primary occupancy
• Providing a false explanation for the property’s location
• Misrepresenting employment or commuting plans
• Using straw-buyer arrangements

Occupancy representations are material to the lender’s decision.

Misrepresentation can potentially result in:

• Loan denial
• Delayed closing
• Loan acceleration
• Default remedies
• Referral for fraud investigation
• Civil or criminal consequences
• Difficulty obtaining future financing

Borrowers should never allow someone to tell them occupancy “doesn’t matter” because the lender supposedly will not check.

How Lenders Verify Occupancy

The lender may evaluate information from:

• Loan application
• Purchase contract
• Credit report
• Employment documentation
• Tax returns
• Current housing expense
• Existing property ownership
• Insurance policy
• Appraisal
• Bank statements
• Rental agreements
• Public property records
• Driver’s license
• Voter or tax records
• Utility information
• Internet rental listings
• Occupancy affidavits
• Post-closing quality-control reviews

No single factor necessarily determines occupancy.

The lender evaluates whether the complete transaction makes sense.

Common Primary-Residence Red Flags

Potential occupancy questions may arise when:

• The property is far from the borrower’s employment
• The borrower already owns a nearby primary residence
• The new home is smaller without a reasonable explanation
• The borrower recently purchased another primary residence
• A tenant already occupies the property
• The borrower plans immediate short-term rentals
• The property is unsuitable for the household
• The borrower’s spouse will remain in another primary home
• The address conflicts across documents
• The borrower cannot explain why the property is needed
• The home is already listed for rent
• The borrower intends to use projected rental income from the entire property

These factors do not automatically prove misrepresentation.

They may simply require a clear, documented explanation.

Buying a New Primary Residence Without Selling the Current Home

A borrower may purchase a new primary residence while retaining the existing home.

The lender may ask why the new property will become the principal residence.

Legitimate explanations may include:

• Larger home
• Smaller home
• Better school location
• Shorter commute
• Divorce or separation
• Marriage or household combination
• Employment relocation
• Accessibility needs
• Moving closer to family
• Converting the current home to a rental
• Significant neighborhood or lifestyle change

The lender must also evaluate the payment and rental-income treatment for the departing residence.

See Using Future Rental Income From a Departing Residence and Buying Before Selling Your Current Home.

Converting a Current Home Into a Rental

A borrower may genuinely purchase a new primary residence and convert the previous residence into a rental.

The lender may review:

• Executed lease
• Security deposit
• First month’s rent
• Market-rent analysis
• Property-management agreement
• Equity position
• Rental history
• Required reserves
• Current mortgage payment

The former home’s rental income may or may not be usable for qualification.

The analysis depends on the mortgage program and the borrower’s landlord history.

Purchasing Another Primary Residence Soon After the Last One

There is no universal rule preventing a borrower from purchasing another primary residence shortly after a previous purchase.

However, the lender will likely evaluate:

• Why the prior home no longer meets the borrower’s needs
• Whether the new home is genuinely superior or meaningfully different
• What will happen to the existing property
• Whether the borrower can afford both homes
• Whether the prior loan had an occupancy requirement
• Whether the new purchase was anticipated when the previous loan closed

A genuine life change may support the new purchase.

Repeated owner-occupied purchases followed quickly by rentals can create serious occupancy concerns.

Employment Location and Occupancy

The subject property’s distance from employment should make reasonable sense.

The lender may consider:

• Remote-work arrangement
• Hybrid schedule
• Normal commute
• Travel requirements
• Employer relocation
• New job
• Future start date
• Multiple work locations
• Self-employment
• Retirement plans

A borrower purchasing far from the workplace may need:

• Remote-work confirmation
• Transfer letter
• Employment offer
• Explanation of travel schedule
• Evidence of retirement
• Documentation of a new business location

See Qualifying for a Mortgage With a New Job and Using an Employment Offer Letter to Qualify for a Mortgage.

Remote Work and Primary Residence Occupancy

Remote work has made it possible for many borrowers to live far from their employer’s headquarters.

The lender may verify:

• Employer permits remote work
• Position is not location-dependent
• Compensation will continue
• No unverified transfer is required
• Borrower can perform the job from the new location

A borrower should not assume that describing a position as remote will be enough when employment records identify an office-based role in another state.

Obtain documentation early when the property and workplace are far apart.

Traveling Employees

A borrower may travel frequently and still maintain a primary residence.

Examples include:

• Airline employees
• Traveling nurses
• Consultants
• Sales professionals
• Oil and gas workers
• Military members
• Truck drivers
• Executives
• Employees on rotational assignments

The borrower does not have to be physically present every night for the home to serve as the principal residence.

The lender evaluates where the borrower lives when not traveling and whether the property is genuinely the household’s primary home.

Military Occupancy Exceptions

Military borrowers may have special occupancy considerations.

Under Fannie Mae guidelines, an active-duty military borrower temporarily absent from a principal residence because of military service may still be considered an owner-occupant when the lender verifies the temporary absence through military orders.

VA financing also has its own occupancy rules and certain accommodations involving:

• Active-duty assignments
• Spousal occupancy
• Deployment
• Delayed occupancy
• Intermittent occupancy
• Retirement from service

Military occupancy scenarios should be reviewed under the exact program requirements before closing.

One Borrower Occupying the Property

For certain conventional transactions with multiple borrowers, only one borrower may need to occupy and take title for the property to qualify as a principal residence.

The lender must still consider:

• Loan program
• Non-occupant co-borrower rules
• Title
• Relationship between borrowers
• Down payment
• Loan-to-value ratio
• Property type

A co-borrower’s non-occupancy does not necessarily convert the property into an investment property when another eligible borrower will occupy it.

See Co-Borrowers, Co-Signers, and Mortgage Qualification.

Buying a Home for an Adult Child With a Disability

Fannie Mae provides a principal-residence accommodation for a parent or legal guardian purchasing housing for a disabled adult child when the child cannot work or does not have sufficient income to qualify independently.

Under applicable requirements, the parent or legal guardian may be considered an owner-occupant even though the parent does not personally live in the home.

The specific circumstances and documentation must satisfy the mortgage program.

This should not be confused with purchasing an ordinary rental home for an adult child.

Buying a Home for an Elderly Parent

Fannie Mae may also treat a child purchasing housing for a parent as an owner-occupant transaction when the parent is unable to work or lacks sufficient income to qualify independently.

The lender may need to document:

• Relationship
• Parent’s financial circumstances
• Intended occupancy
• Property use
• Borrower qualification
• Program eligibility

This exception does not automatically apply every time an adult child buys a home for a parent.

The facts must satisfy the applicable guideline.

FHA Occupancy Requirements

FHA purchase financing is generally designed for owner-occupied principal residences.

The borrower generally must:

• Intend to occupy the property as a principal residence
• Establish occupancy within the required period
• Sign applicable occupancy certifications
• Meet restrictions involving other FHA-insured properties

FHA does not generally provide ordinary second-home or investment-property purchase financing, although limited exceptions may exist under specific circumstances.

The exact situation should be evaluated under current FHA requirements.

VA Occupancy Requirements

VA loans are designed to help eligible veterans and service members purchase a home for personal occupancy.

The veteran generally must certify an intent to occupy the property as a principal residence within a reasonable period.

VA rules may provide specific considerations involving:

• Spousal occupancy
• Active-duty assignments
• Deployment
• Retirement dates
• Delayed occupancy
• Intermittent occupancy

VA occupancy should be evaluated based on the veteran’s actual circumstances rather than conventional-loan assumptions.

USDA Occupancy Requirements

USDA guaranteed financing is generally limited to an eligible primary residence.

The property must satisfy:

• Owner-occupancy requirements
• Location eligibility
• Household eligibility
• Program standards

USDA financing is not intended for an ordinary second home, vacation home, or investment property.

Jumbo and Non-QM Occupancy Requirements

Jumbo and non-QM lenders may establish their own occupancy requirements.

They may apply:

• Greater down payment requirements
• Larger reserve requirements
• Distance rules for second homes
• Restrictions on short-term rentals
• Additional occupancy certifications
• Enhanced review of multiple properties
• Different treatment of rental income
• Lender-specific overlays

A property eligible as a second home with one lender may be classified as an investment property by another.

Two-to-Four-Unit Primary Residences

A borrower may purchase a two-to-four-unit property as a primary residence when the borrower genuinely occupies one unit.

The other units may potentially be rented.

The lender may evaluate:

• Borrower occupancy
• Number of legal units
• Rental income
• Existing leases
• Appraisal market rents
• Property eligibility
• Reserve requirements
• Self-sufficiency or program-specific tests

A borrower cannot claim owner occupancy while intending to rent every unit.

See Two-to-Four-Unit Property Mortgage Guide.

Accessory Dwelling Units and Occupancy

A primary residence may include an accessory dwelling unit that is:

• Rented
• Occupied by family
• Used as an office
• Kept for personal use

The property may still be owner-occupied when the borrower lives in the main residence or otherwise occupies the property as required.

The lender must evaluate the property’s legal use, appraisal, rental income, and overall classification.

Related resource: Buying a Home With an Accessory Dwelling Unit.

Can You Have More Than One Primary Residence?

A person generally has one principal residence at a time for mortgage occupancy purposes.

A married couple may sometimes have legitimate circumstances requiring separate residences, such as:

• Employment in different cities
• Pending relocation
• Military assignment
• Separation
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Medical needs

The lender will evaluate the facts rather than assuming both properties qualify automatically as primary residences.

The borrower should disclose every property and explain the household arrangement.

Can Spouses Have Separate Primary Residences?

Possibly, when the circumstances support separate principal residences.

The lender may review:

• Employment locations
• Marital status
• Current housing
• Distance between properties
• Family living arrangements
• Financial responsibility
• Intent to occupy
• Existing mortgage terms

Using separate addresses solely to obtain owner-occupied pricing on multiple rental properties would not be acceptable.

Can a College Student’s Home Be a Primary Residence?

A parent purchasing a home near a child’s college does not automatically qualify for primary-residence financing.

If the parent will not occupy the property, it may be:

• A second home
• An investment property
• Another classification under a specific program

The proper treatment depends on:

• Parent’s personal use
• Student’s ownership and borrower status
• Rental plans
• Other occupants
• Program rules
• Property type

Do not assume that a family member’s occupancy satisfies the borrower’s occupancy requirement unless an applicable exception exists.

Buying a Home for Someone Else

A borrower purchasing a home that will be occupied exclusively by another person will not normally qualify as an ordinary primary residence merely because the occupant is:

• Adult child
• Sibling
• Friend
• Employee
• Unmarried partner
• Other relative

The transaction may need investment-property or second-home financing unless a specific mortgage guideline provides an exception.

The occupancy classification follows the applicable borrower and program requirements—not simply the identity of the occupant.

What Happens If Plans Change After Closing?

A genuine change after closing may not violate the original occupancy representation.

Examples include:

• Unexpected job transfer
• Deployment
• Divorce
• Medical issue
• Household expansion
• Financial hardship
• Need to care for family
• Employer-directed relocation

The borrower should:

• Review the security instrument
• Contact the loan servicer when appropriate
• Preserve documentation of the changed circumstances
• Comply with insurance requirements
• Follow HOA and local rental rules
• Update tax exemptions when necessary

The analysis is different when the borrower intended to rent or avoid occupancy from the beginning.

Converting a Primary Residence Into a Rental

A borrower may later convert a genuine primary residence into a rental.

Before doing so, consider:

• Original occupancy agreement
• Time elapsed since closing
• Reason for the move
• Mortgage terms
• Homeowners insurance
• Property taxes
• Homestead exemption
• HOA restrictions
• Local rental regulations
• Lease requirements
• Future mortgage qualification

Changing insurance and tax treatment is particularly important.

An owner-occupied homeowners policy may not provide appropriate coverage after the property becomes a rental.

Short-Term Rentals After Closing

Turning a primary residence or second home into a full-time short-term rental shortly after closing may create questions about original occupancy intent.

Before listing the property, review:

• Loan documents
• Second-home rider
• HOA restrictions
• Municipal regulations
• Insurance
• Tax treatment
• Management agreements
• Original representations

A management agreement that controls occupancy may also conflict with second-home requirements.

Homestead Exemption and Mortgage Occupancy

A Texas homestead exemption and mortgage occupancy are related concepts, but they are not interchangeable.

The borrower may need to consider:

• Eligibility for the exemption
• Timing of the application
• Existing exemptions
• Property-tax treatment
• Whether another property remains claimed
• Actual principal-residence status

Claiming homestead benefits on one property while representing another as the principal residence may create inconsistencies requiring explanation.

Property-tax rules should be confirmed with the applicable appraisal district or a qualified professional.

Homeowners Insurance and Occupancy

The insurance policy must reflect the property’s actual use.

Coverage may differ for:

• Primary residence
• Second home
• Long-term rental
• Short-term rental
• Vacant property
• Seasonal property

An incorrect occupancy classification can affect coverage when a loss occurs.

The lender may review the insurance declaration page before closing and require the policy to match the mortgage occupancy.

Occupancy and Rental Income

Rental-income treatment depends partly on occupancy.

Examples include:

• Primary residence with rented accessory unit
• Owner-occupied duplex
• Departing residence converted to rental
• Second home with limited rental activity
• Non-owner-occupied investment property
• Short-term rental

The existence of rental income does not automatically determine occupancy, but it must be disclosed.

The lender must understand which part of the property the borrower will occupy and how the remaining space will be used.

Real-World Occupancy Scenarios

Remote Employee Moving to Texas

A borrower works for a company headquartered in California and purchases a primary residence in Texas.

The lender may verify that the borrower is authorized to work remotely and that employment and compensation will continue after the move.

Current Home Becomes a Rental

A borrower purchases a larger primary residence and leases the former home.

The lender evaluates the reason for moving, existing mortgage, new lease, rental-income eligibility, reserves, and ability to carry both properties.

Vacation Home With Occasional Rentals

A borrower purchases a one-unit lake house for regular personal use and occasionally rents it.

The property may remain eligible as a second home when the borrower maintains personal occupancy and exclusive control, does not use rental income to qualify, and satisfies the remaining program requirements.

Full-Time Short-Term Rental

A borrower purchases a vacation-market property, hires a management company, and plans to make it available to guests throughout the year.

The transaction may need to be classified as an investment property.

Parent Buys for Adult Child

A parent purchases a home that an employed adult child will occupy independently.

Unless a specific occupancy exception applies, the parent’s loan may need second-home or investment-property treatment.

Military Borrower Temporarily Absent

An active-duty service member cannot occupy immediately because of military orders.

The loan may qualify for an applicable military occupancy provision when the documentation and mortgage program requirements are satisfied.

Common Occupancy Mistakes

Common problems include:

• Choosing occupancy based on pricing
• Hiding rental plans
• Assuming any family occupancy counts
• Claiming a nearby property as a second home without explanation
• Advertising the property for rent before closing
• Signing a management agreement that controls occupancy
• Failing to disclose an existing tenant
• Providing inconsistent addresses
• Claiming remote employment without authorization
• Ignoring the occupancy affidavit
• Converting the property immediately without changed circumstances
• Using rental income inconsistent with the occupancy classification
• Assuming the lender will not verify occupancy

Occupancy should be established before the mortgage is structured.

Common Misconceptions

“I Only Need to Stay in the Property a Few Nights”

Primary occupancy means the property genuinely serves as the borrower’s main residence—not that the borrower occasionally sleeps there.

“Any Vacation Property Qualifies as a Second Home”

The property and intended use must satisfy second-home requirements.

“A Family Member Living There Makes It Owner-Occupied”

Family occupancy alone does not generally satisfy the borrower’s occupancy requirement unless a specific exception applies.

“I Can Call It a Primary Residence and Rent It Immediately”

If full-time rental was the plan from the beginning, primary-residence financing may involve occupancy misrepresentation.

“Remote Work Automatically Solves the Distance Issue”

The lender may need to verify that remote work is authorized and expected to continue.

“Once the Loan Closes, Occupancy No Longer Matters”

The borrower remains bound by the occupancy representations and obligations in the mortgage documents.

Questions to Ask Before Selecting Occupancy

Before applying, ask:

• Where will I genuinely live?
• When will I move into the property?
• How long do I expect to occupy it?
• Will anyone else occupy the home?
• Will any part be rented?
• Will the entire property be advertised for rent?
• Is a management company involved?
• Is the property suitable for year-round occupancy?
• How far is it from my employment?
• Is my remote-work arrangement documented?
• What will happen to my current home?
• Will I own multiple properties?
• Does a family-occupancy exception apply?
• Does my mortgage program permit this occupancy type?
• What will I certify at closing?

The answers should be accurate and consistent throughout the transaction.

Real Lender Perspective

Mortgage occupancy requirements are not simply boxes labeled “primary,” “second,” and “investment.”

The lender must understand the borrower’s real plan.

We look at:

• Current residence
• Employment location
• Property distance
• Household needs
• Existing real estate
• Rental plans
• Property type
• Family occupancy
• Timing
• Financial benefit of the requested classification

Many unusual occupancy scenarios are completely legitimate.

A remote employee may move across the country. A homeowner may retain the current house as a rental. An executive may need a residence near another office. A parent may qualify under a specific family-occupancy exception.

The solution is early disclosure and accurate structuring.

The transaction becomes dangerous when the facts are hidden or adjusted merely to obtain lower pricing or a smaller down payment.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide may be especially helpful for:

• First-time homebuyers
• Move-up buyers
• Remote employees
• Military borrowers
• Second-home buyers
• Real estate investors
• Short-term-rental buyers
• Buyers retaining a departing residence
• Parents purchasing housing for family
• Buyers relocating to Texas
• Executives with multiple work locations
• Borrowers owning multiple properties

Final Thoughts

Mortgage occupancy requirements determine whether a home is financed as a principal residence, second home, or investment property.

The classification affects:

• Loan eligibility
• Down payment
• Interest-rate pricing
• Reserves
• Rental-income treatment
• Documentation
• Property requirements

Occupancy is based on the borrower’s genuine intent and the actual planned use of the property.

A later, unforeseen life change does not necessarily mean the original representation was false. But claiming owner occupancy while planning a rental from the beginning can create serious mortgage-fraud concerns.

Explain the complete occupancy plan before the loan is structured.

The strongest mortgage approval is built around the property’s true use—not the occupancy category with the most attractive terms.

Suggested Internal Links

• When Does a Second Home Become an Investment Property?
• Buying Before Selling Your Current Home
• Using Future Rental Income From a Departing Residence
• Using a New Lease to Qualify for a Mortgage
• Rental Income From a Property With No Prior Rental History
• Two-to-Four-Unit Property Mortgage Guide
• Buying a Home With an Accessory Dwelling Unit
• Condo Mortgage Requirements
• Non-Warrantable Condo Financing
• Qualifying for a Mortgage With a New Job
• Using an Employment Offer Letter to Qualify for a Mortgage
• Mortgage Reserve Requirements Explained
• Mortgage Underwriting Explained