Every Borrower. Every Path.
Conventional · FHA · VA · Jumbo · DSCR · Bank Statement · Non-QM
Buying your first home, your next one, or your next investment — Mike Keys and the Clear Rate Mortgage team build financing around you. Straightforward loans for everyday buyers, and creative solutions when your income or goals don't fit the standard mold.
First home, refinance or investment — not sure which loan fits? Explore all loan programs
See your home equity options in minutes. No impact to your credit score.*
Access up to $400,000 of your home's equity while keeping your existing first mortgage — check your eligibility through our secure partner check.
*Offered through Aven (Aven Financial, Inc.), an independent third-party partner — not a Clear Rate Mortgage product. Checking your options uses a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect your credit score; approval, rates, and terms are subject to credit review, property eligibility, and program guidelines. Availability and maximum line amounts vary by state. Mike Keys, NMLS #2795829 · Clear Rate Mortgage, Company NMLS #2470446.
Two very different files. Two very different strategies.
I'm a Real Estate Investor
Rental portfolios, short-term rentals, LLC vesting, and properties that need to qualify on their own income rather than your tax returns.
- DSCR loans — qualify on property cash flow
- Investment property purchases & refinances
- Multiple financed properties and portfolio growth
- Title vesting in an LLC where the program allows
I'm Self-Employed
Business owners, 1099 contractors and entrepreneurs whose write-offs make traditional tax-return underwriting work against them.
- Bank statement loans — qualify on deposits
- 1099 and profit-and-loss documentation paths
- Asset-based qualification options
- Agency comparison when tax returns still win
Spec & build-to-rent financing that keeps your pipeline moving.
Ground-up capital for one spec home or a full BTR community — available in all 50 states, underwritten on the project and your track record, not your tax returns. Repeat draws and fast closings for builders who run multiple projects at once.
Ranges shown for orientation only. Leverage, pricing, terms and eligibility vary by program, builder experience and market, and are subject to change. Not a commitment to lend.
Build — Spec Homes
Flexible financing for one home or a full spec pipeline, structured around the sale exit and the next project.
Hold — Build-to-Rent
Ground-up capital for rental portfolios and BTR communities, with the permanent DSCR exit planned before the first draw.
Scale — Your Pipeline
Repeat draws and fast closings to keep your next project moving while the current one finishes.
Texas Home Equity
Keep your mortgage. Put your equity to work.
If you're sitting on a low first-mortgage rate, a Texas HELOC lets qualifying homeowners access equity without replacing that loan — and you only pay interest on what you actually draw.
Non-QM lending is not a fallback. It's the practice.
Most loan officers treat these programs as an exception. Here they're the focus — which means faster answers on the scenarios other lenders send back as a decline. Eligibility, documentation and terms vary by lender and program.
DSCR Loans
Qualify an investment property on its own rental income. No tax returns, no personal DTI in the primary calculation.
Bank Statement Loans
12 or 24 months of qualifying deposits in place of tax returns — built for self-employed Texans.
Non-QM Loans
Alternative documentation, unique properties and complex income scenarios outside agency guidelines.
English & Spanish Mortgage Assistance
Buying a home is one of life's biggest decisions, and clear communication matters. We proudly assist homebuyers, homeowners, investors, and self-employed borrowers in both English and Spanish.
Whether you're purchasing your first home, refinancing, investing, or exploring your options, we're here to help every step of the way.
Asistencia Hipotecaria en Inglés y Español
Comprar una casa es una de las decisiones más importantes de la vida, y una buena comunicación hace la diferencia.
Con gusto ayudamos a compradores de vivienda, propietarios, inversionistas y trabajadores independientes tanto en inglés como en español.
Estamos aquí para ayudarle durante cada etapa del proceso hipotecario.
A finance background.
A relationship-first approach.
Solutions that actually close.
Before mortgages, Mike Keys built a career in finance — where numbers had to be right and clients had to be heard. He brings that same discipline to every file: fast communication, creative structure, and a plan you can actually understand.
First-time buyers. Move-up families. Investors building a portfolio. Self-employed Texans whose tax returns don't tell the whole story. Whatever the path, the goal is the same: unlock the opportunity in front of you.
deserves a lender
who answers the phone."
Traditional financing, handled with the same care.
Buying a primary residence? Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo and down payment assistance are all part of the practice.
Conventional
The classic path to ownership — flexible, fast, and competitive.
FHA Loans
Low down payment, forgiving credit — ideal for first-time buyers.
VA Loans
Earned by service. Zero down, no PMI, exceptional terms.
USDA Loans
100% financing for eligible rural and suburban homes.
Jumbo Loans
High-balance financing for luxury and premium markets.
Investment Property Loans
Purchase and portfolio strategies for real estate investors.
Down Payment Assistance
Programs that help Texans get to the closing table sooner.
Commercial Financing
Multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial acquisitions.
Refinance
Lower your rate, shorten your term, or restructure the loan you already have.
Cash-Out Refinance
Tap your home equity for renovations, debt payoff, or investment.
HELOC Home Loan
A flexible line of credit secured by your home equity.
A mortgage lender who knows the market.
Local pages for every major Texas market — tax rates, MUD notes, neighborhoods, and the programs that fit.
A partner who moves at the pace of your life.
Fast, direct communication
Real answers, quickly. No portal hide-and-seek — you'll always know where your file stands.
Creative financing
When the standard box doesn't fit, we structure around it: Non-QM, DSCR, bank statement, bridge.
Personalized strategy
Every file starts with your goals — not a product menu. The loan should serve the plan.
Multi-state reach
Houston-based, with Clear Rate Mortgage licensed in 17 states — from Texas and Florida to Ohio, California and New Jersey.
Responsive service
Nights, weekends, closing day. The moments that matter most rarely happen 9-to-5.
Relationship first
Most of my business comes from repeat clients and referrals. That's the standard.
Start with the two that matter most.
The investor and self-employed playbooks cover the documentation, math and structure questions that come up on nearly every specialty file.
The Self-Employed Borrower Guide
How to qualify with 1099, business, or bank statement income — with the strategy that gets you approved.
Get the guideThe Texas Investor's Financing Playbook
DSCR, portfolio, and conventional investor financing — how to scale a Texas rental portfolio.
Get the guideThe Texas First-Time Buyer Guide
The full first-time buyer sequence — from credit prep to closing day — written for the Texas market.
Get the guideThe Texas Mortgage Checklist
A one-page document and step checklist so nothing gets missed between application and closing.
Get the guideThe 60-Day Home Buying Timeline
A calendar view of what happens — and when — from the day you apply to the day you get keys.
Get the guideHave a buyer your traditional lender can't approve?
Self-employed buyers. Investors on their fourth or fifth property. LLC purchases. Non-warrantable condos. Files that come back as a decline elsewhere are the files this practice is built around.
Send the scenario before you write the offer and get a straight answer on whether a DSCR, bank statement or Non-QM path may work — so your listing or buyer doesn't stall two weeks into contract. Eligibility and terms vary by lender and program.
Fast Communication
Quick responses by phone, text, and email so you and your clients are never left waiting.
Creative Financing
Solutions for borrowers who don't fit traditional guidelines — Bank Statement, DSCR, Non-QM, Commercial, FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo, and more.
Reliable Updates
Consistent communication from pre-approval through closing so everyone knows where the loan stands.
Problem Solving
Every file is approached with a solution-focused mindset to overcome financing obstacles whenever possible.
Local Market Expertise
Knowledge of lending guidelines, local markets and the homebuying process in every state we serve.
Long-Term Partnerships
We're focused on building relationships — not just closing one transaction.
Licensed in 17 states.
Headquartered in Texas, with Clear Rate Mortgage licensing across 17 states — with dedicated DSCR investor guides for Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, California, North Carolina and New Jersey.
- California
- ColoradoBusiness-purpose loans only
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
Builders: Spec & build-to-rent financing is available in all 50 states.
Clear Rate Mortgage (NMLS #2470446) company licensing. Individual loan originator licensing may vary by state — verify at NMLS Consumer Access.
Payment. Affordability. Refinance. Debt-to-income. Six calculators in one place.
The measure is how it felt to close.
Mike made our first home feel achievable. He answered every question, at every hour, and delivered.
As a self-employed borrower, I'd been turned down twice. Mike found a bank statement structure that worked.
Our fourth investment property with Mike. DSCR done, on time, at the number we needed.