Age itself isn’t what drives interest rates — it’s more about credit profile, income stability, debt-to-income, and the loan program used.

It is excellent that you are prioritizing saving for retirement through your employers program.

Some DSCR programs do allow 15-year terms, but they’re much less common than 30-year options and usually come with higher payments and stricter ratios.

@Amanda King  here are some best practices for you to followRecommended Best PracticesWritten Relocation Notice  I would provide tenants with Dates/Times of tenting, how long it will be uninhabitable, rent proration method used, relocation assistance program terms (Caps, reciepts, deadlines,) and deliver my certified mail, email and posted on the property at least 10 days before tenting.Standardized Assistance FormHave tenants submit, Name / unit, Contact info, Hotel receipt(s), Signature acknowledging termsClear Assistance TermsDraft language such as:“Landlord agrees to provide relocation assistance limited to actual lodging expenses incurred during the pest control displacement period, with original receipts, up to $200 per night for a maximum of 2 nights per household.

Other names mentioned were Kenny Bedwell at STR Insights and Bill Faeth’s coaching programs.

Same for 2-years of job/income stability.Tenant Default: 10-20% probability of eviction or early lease termination.Section 8: Class C rents usually meet program requirements, proper screening still recommended.Vacancies: 10-20%, depending on market conditions and tenant screening.Cashflow vs Appreciation: Should cashflow immediately, at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.Class D Properties:Tenant Pool: Majority of FICO scores under 560, little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, but should have no convictions/evictions in last 12 months.

Yes — 5% down on an owner-occupied 2–4 unit can be possible, but it’s not as widely offered as people think and it’s very guideline-dependent.A few points that usually explain the confusion:Many lenders will do 5% down on 1-unit but require higher down payment on 2–4 units (often 15–25%) depending on the conventional program, unit count, and the borrower profile.Some lenders simply don’t have the product appetite for 2–4 unit owner-occupied, even if it’s technically allowed under certain guidelines.Expect tighter overlays: reserves, DTI, rental income treatment, condition requirements, and sometimes LLPA hits that make it less attractive for the lender to offer.If you’re house hacking, the most common low-down paths I see people actually close are:FHA (especially on 2–4 units) if you can tolerate MI and the appraisal/condition standardsConventional options with higher down (varies lender-to-lender)If you want, share the unit count (2/3/4), target price range, and whether you’re trying to use projected rents to qualify.

As the situation rolled over into the Twenty Teens, the government adopted a "Home Affordable Refinance Program  (HARP)" to encourage lenders to refinance existing homeowners with problems.

I do not have any experience with this company but in most instances, owners run into lots of limitations with the software/program and wind up hiring a PMC.

Hey Paul,It can definitely be tricky below 100k and even with condos where you might run into minimum square footage amounts as well as if it is warrantable, or non-warrantable (not to mention dealing with the Condo Association)That being said, I do know of a program that could help, just shot you a DM, happy to help if I can.Good luck!