Question 1

What should I compare when choosing between loan types?

Accepted Answer

Focus on the rows that change your real cost and eligibility: minimum down payment, minimum credit score, how income is documented, whether mortgage insurance applies (and if it can be removed), and the maximum loan amount. Our side-by-side table puts exactly those factors next to each other for up to three programs at once.

Question 2

Which loan comparisons do borrowers run most often?

Accepted Answer

VA vs FHA vs Conventional is the most common matchup for homebuyers, while self-employed borrowers usually compare Bank Statement vs P&L vs DSCR programs. Investors weigh DSCR against rental property loans, and rate-sensitive buyers compare fixed-rate against ARM and jumbo options. One-click presets for each of these are built into the tool.

Question 3

Why compare loans with a broker instead of a single bank?

Accepted Answer

A bank can only offer its own products, so its comparison stops at its own menu. As a broker, CMS shops 50+ lenders — which means the comparison isn't just between loan types, it's between dozens of competing offers for the same loan type. The same program from a different lender can be a meaningfully different deal.

Question 4

What if none of the loans I compared feel like the right fit?

Accepted Answer

That's normal — a table can't see your full picture. Talk to a CMS loan expert and we'll match your down payment, credit profile, and income documentation against the whole product lineup, including specialty programs for first-time buyers, veterans, and self-employed borrowers that may not have made your shortlist.

Compare Mortgage Loan Programs