There isn't one right loan.
There's the right one for you.

The default for most buyers with steady income and decent credit.

• Conforming limit is $832,750 for a one-unit home in 2026.
• Mortgage insurance comes off once you reach 20% equity — unlike FHA.
• Stronger credit buys a lower rate here than on any other program.

Probably not your program ifThin credit history, or a debt load that needs FHA's more forgiving ratios.

Built for buyers whose credit or savings are still catching up.

• DFW limit is $563,500 in 2026 — Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant all share it.
• Accepts lower scores and higher debt ratios than conventional.
• Gift funds can cover the entire down payment.

Probably not your program ifYou have 20% down and strong credit — mortgage insurance usually stays for the life of the loan.

For eligible veterans, active duty, and surviving spouses.

• No monthly mortgage insurance, ever. That alone often beats a lower rate elsewhere.
• No loan limit with full entitlement — the cap is what you qualify for.
• Reusable. A VA loan is not a once-in-a-lifetime benefit.

Probably not your program ifRarely a bad fit if you're eligible. The funding fee is worth comparing if you're putting real money down.

Zero down, and more of DFW qualifies than people expect.

• Eligibility is by address and household income, not by rural character.
• Parts of Denton, Collin, Kaufman, Ellis and Rockwall counties qualify.
• Worth checking the map before assuming you're out.

Probably not your program ifYou're over the county income limit, or buying inside the urban core.

Above the conforming limit, with its own rulebook.

• Anything over $832,750 in DFW is a jumbo in 2026.
• Reserves matter more than they do anywhere else — expect to document them.
• Pricing varies widely between investors. This is where shopping pays.

Probably not your program ifYou're close to the conforming line — splitting the loan is sometimes cheaper.

For self-employed buyers whose tax returns understate what they earn.

• Qualifies on 12 or 24 months of deposits instead of net income after write-offs.
• Built for business owners, 1099 contractors, and commission earners.
• Rate is higher than conventional — the trade for not being penalized for deductions.

Probably not your program ifYour returns already show enough income. Conventional will price better.

Qualifies on the property’s rent, not your personal income.

• No tax returns, no W-2s, no personal DTI calculation.
• The rent needs to cover the payment — that ratio is the whole approval.
• Doesn't count against the conventional financed-property limit.

Probably not your program ifYou'll live in it. DSCR is investment property only.

Buy the next one before the current one sells.

• Lets you make a non-contingent offer, which wins in a tight market.
• Short-term by design — there's an exit plan from day one.
• Costs more than a standard loan. Worth it when the alternative is losing the house.

Probably not your program ifYou can comfortably carry both payments, or your sale is already under contract.

One loan for the house and the work it needs.

• Finances the purchase and the improvements together, on one closing.
• Based on the after-improved value, not what the house is worth today.
• Turns a house nobody else wants into the one you wanted all along.

Probably not your program ifThe work is cosmetic and cheap — a standard loan plus cash is simpler.

Access equity — under rules unique to Texas.

• Texas caps cash-out at 80% LTV. Not a lender overlay — it's in the state constitution.
• Lender fees are capped at 2% of the loan amount.
• Once a Texas cash-out, always one: the 80% cap follows the property on every future refinance.

Probably not your program ifYou need a small amount and want to keep a low first-lien rate. Compare a second lien first.