A mortgage for small business owners is a standard home loan with a different income-proof process: lenders evaluate net income from tax returns, bank statements, or business cash flow instead of W-2s and pay stubs. Duane Buziak explains how self-employed borrowers are assessed, which documentation paths are available in 2026, and the steps to take before applying so write-offs and paperwork don’t derail an approval.
6 Appraisal Came in Low Solutions: Lenders and Loan Paths Compared for 2026
When an appraisal comes in under the contract price, the lender and loan path you choose determine how much room you have to respond. This guide compares six appraisal came in low solutions for buyers, refinancers, and investors, judging each on dispute support, program flexibility, credit-pull policy, and how it handles the gap between value and price.
Duane Buziak’s Guide: How to Respond to a Denied Mortgage Application (What to Do, Step by Step)
A denied mortgage application is a setback, not a final verdict. This guide explains denied mortgage application what to do step by step: read your adverse action notice, identify the real cause, fix credit, income, or debt issues, and reapply with a stronger file, with callouts for VA and FHA borrowers.
Subordination Agreement Refinance Explained: How Duane Buziak Keeps Your Lien Position Intact
Subordination agreement refinance explained: this guide shows why a HELOC or second-mortgage lender must agree to stay behind your new first mortgage, how the request moves from application to closing, what second lienholders review, and how subordination compares with other ways to handle a second lien.
7 Strategies for Underwater Mortgage Refinance Options in 2026, Explained by Duane Buziak
When your mortgage balance exceeds your home’s value, most standard refinances are off the table, but you still have choices. This guide from Duane Buziak walks through seven underwater mortgage refinance options for 2026, including government-backed streamline programs that skip the appraisal and strategies that rebuild equity, so you can match one to your loan type, occupancy, and budget.
Duane Buziak on What Richmond-Area Buyers Should Know Before Choosing a Lender
A practical guide to should Richmond-area buyers know before choosing a lender.
7 Ways to Identify a Top-Rated Mortgage Broker in Glen Allen, Virginia (and Why Duane Buziak Fits the Standard)
A practical guide to top-rated mortgage broker in Glen Allen, Virginia.
Student Loan Forgiveness and Mortgage Qualification: How Duane Buziak Explains What Lenders Count
Student loan forgiveness only helps your mortgage application once it is official and documented, while deferred, forborne, or in-progress loans still count against you. This guide to student loan forgiveness mortgage qualification explains how lenders treat forgiven, deferred, and income-driven-repayment loans in your debt-to-income ratio, and which paperwork gets your file approved.
How to Get a Mortgage When Your Credit Score Is Too Low: A Step-by-Step Plan from Duane Buziak
If a lender says your credit score is too low for a mortgage, you may still have options. Duane Buziak walks through a step-by-step plan: confirm the score your loan program actually requires, identify what is dragging your credit down, fix what can be fixed quickly, match your profile to the right loan program, and leave with a written plan.
How to Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage: A Step-by-Step Guide from Duane Buziak
This step-by-step guide from Duane Buziak, Mortgage Maestro, explains how to get pre approved for mortgage financing in seven steps. It starts with checking your credit, debt-to-income ratio, and income, then walks through gathering documents and avoiding unnecessary hard credit pulls. You finish with a pre-approval letter that sellers and listing agents take seriously.
