Financing that counts the land.
Standard mortgage guidelines are written for a house on a lot. A home on twenty acres, a parcel with outbuildings or a property zoned for agriculture trips rules that have nothing to do with your ability to pay. Troy places these loans with programs and appraisers that know what they are looking at.
- Properties
- Large lots, rural parcels, properties with outbuildings or agricultural zoning
- Appraisal
- Rural specialist with comparables that count the land
- Programs
- Conventional, government or non-traditional, as the parcel allows
- Where
- California, including Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties
How it works
Most mortgage programs cap the value they will attribute to land, limit acreage, question outbuildings and decline properties with agricultural income or zoning. The reasoning is marketability: the lender wants a property that resells easily. The result is that a well-qualified buyer of a rural or large-lot home can be declined for reasons unrelated to credit or income.
Troy works around that in two ways. First, by choosing the program: agency guidelines allow more acreage than many lenders apply, government programs have rural options, and non-traditional programs can finance what the agencies will not. Second, by choosing the appraiser: a rural specialist who finds comparable sales that include land, rather than a suburban appraiser who discounts it.
He has financed properties across Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties and the rural edges of Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, from horse properties to vineyards to homes on raw acreage.
- Buyers of homes on large lots or multiple acres
- Horse properties, hobby farms and homes with barns or workshops
- Properties with mixed residential and agricultural zoning
- Owners refinancing a rural property that a bank declined
- Buyers in Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern and other inland counties
Not sure you fit? Ask. Troy tells people on the first call when a different program serves them better.
What to consider
Program details vary by investor and change over time. These are the questions that decide whether the loan is right for you; Troy confirms the specifics for your file.
Land value versus improvements
Programs limit how much of the appraised value can be land. The right program and appraiser make the difference between approved and declined.
Zoning and use
Agricultural zoning, income-producing operations and commercial use each affect which programs apply. Troy reads the zoning before the appraisal is ordered.
Access and utilities
Private roads, wells and septic systems are normal in rural lending but require specific documentation.
Comparable sales
Rural comparables are scarce and far apart. A specialist appraiser knows where to find them and how to adjust.
The process
From the first conversation to funding, you deal with Troy.
Describe the property
Acreage, zoning, outbuildings, access and utilities. Troy identifies the viable programs on the first call.
Pre-qualification
Credit, income and assets reviewed by Troy, with the program chosen for the parcel.
Specialist appraisal
A rural appraiser who counts the land. Troy reads the report with you.
Closing and funding
Signing is scheduled around you. Troy coordinates escrow so the loan funds on the date you planned.
Questions people ask
General answers. The answer for your file comes from a conversation with Troy, not from a web page.
Is there a maximum acreage?
It depends on the program. Agency guidelines are more flexible than many lenders apply, and non-traditional programs can go further. Troy matches the parcel to the program.
Do barns and workshops hurt the appraisal?
They can be undervalued by appraisers unfamiliar with rural property. A specialist appraiser gives them appropriate weight.
Can I finance a property with agricultural income?
Sometimes. It depends on how much of the property's value and use is agricultural. Troy reviews the zoning and the operation before choosing a program.
Do you lend in Riverside and San Bernardino counties?
Yes. Troy is licensed throughout California and has financed rural property across the inland counties.
Related programs
Often considered alongside this one. Troy prices the alternatives so you can see them side by side.
Home purchase
Conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo and down-payment assistance, with a pre-approval that has been underwritten before the letter goes out.
Conventional
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac financing with agency pricing for documented income, including high-balance for Los Angeles County.
Bank statement
Self-employed income documented with 12 or 24 months of deposits instead of tax returns.
Refinance
Lower the payment, shorten the term or take cash out, with the before-and-after on the table before you decide.
Talk it through with Troy.
No obligation and no credit pull on the first call. Tell him what you’re trying to do and he’ll tell you whether high-acreage financing is the right tool, and what it would cost.