🏦 Investment Action Playbook
Investment Loans 101: Financing a Rental
Answer 5 questions to get a 5-category investment-loan checklist: investment vs owner-occupied, the rate premium, down payment requirements, lender selection, and the preapproval process — the loan structure decides your cash flow and returns.
Investment loans are a different game from owner-occupied mortgages: higher down payments, higher rates, and stricter treatment of rental income. This checklist gives you the framework — how to read investment products, compare rates, and assemble preapproval documents. Specific rates, down payment percentages, and LTV caps move with the market and lender; items citing numbers are flagged for confirmation.
- Confirm every number with a live lender — never assume stale figures
- One document package (tax returns, statements, leases) serves every lender
- Set the financing plan before house-hunting — your down payment defines the price range