AXEN Realty Preferred Credit Restoration Partner

Mortgage lenders do not use the FICO score most consumers see on free apps. This module explains the mortgage-specific scoring models, why they differ, and how the middle-of-three score determines loan qualification.

FHA is the most credit-flexible widely-available program. This module covers minimum scores, the 580 / 500 down-payment break, manual underwriting, and the most common FHA credit overlays.

The VA loan has no published minimum credit score and no down payment. This module covers residual income, the VA's stance on collections, and post-bankruptcy seasoning unique to veterans.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac drive Conventional underwriting. This module covers minimum scores, LLPAs (loan-level price adjustments), private mortgage insurance, and how score bands change rate and cost.

USDA's Guaranteed Rural Housing loan offers 100% financing in eligible areas. This module covers the GUS automated underwriting score floor, income limits, and property eligibility.

Collections behave differently across FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional. Knowing when to pay, dispute, or leave alone can preserve approval and avoid score damage.

DTI is the second most-common reason a buyer is denied. This module teaches the front-end / back-end calculation, program ceilings, and the legitimate ways to lower DTI before submission.

Restoration removes; building adds. This module walks through the safest, fastest tools to build score and depth for thin-file or rebuilding buyers.

Credit 'sweep' schemes promise to delete everything in 30 days using false identity-theft claims. They are illegal under the FCRA, can void a mortgage loan, and expose the buyer and the realtor referring them.

Realtors are mandatory referrers in many fraud schemes — knowingly or not. This module covers the most common fraud patterns (straw buyers, occupancy fraud, income fraud) and how to protect your license.

A pre-approval is a snapshot — by the time you reach the closing table, the file has been re-pulled, re-verified, and re-priced. This module is a 90-day checklist to keep an approval clean.

Four de-identified case files showing how a stalled buyer became a closed transaction. Each case includes the starting profile, the strategy, the timeline, and the outcome.

Self-employed buyers face stricter income documentation and underwriting scrutiny. This module covers the 2-year tax return rule, add-backs, and how aggressive write-offs sabotage approval.

Down payment assistance (DPA) programs can bridge the affordability gap, but each has eligibility, repayment, and resale rules realtors must understand.

Non-QM products serve buyers who don't fit the agency box: self-employed, investors, foreign nationals, recent credit events. Understand how DSCR, bank-statement, and asset-depletion loans work.

Loans above the Conforming Loan Limit are jumbo loans, held in lender portfolios with stricter credit, reserve, and documentation standards.

Realtors don't set rates, but they should understand how rates are priced, how locks work, and the cost of float-downs and extensions.

PMI, MIP, USDA Annual Fee, and the VA Funding Fee all behave differently. Understand cost, cancellation, and how FICO drives PMI pricing.

Closing costs surprise more buyers than down payments do. Learn what's included, who can pay what, and the program-specific seller concession caps.

Buyers without Social Security Numbers can still buy property through ITIN and Foreign National programs. Learn documentation, down payment, and rate expectations.

The tri-merge report is the lender's single source of truth. Realtors who can read it can diagnose problems early and route buyers to the right specialist.

A rapid rescore can lift a buyer's qualifying score in 3–7 days by updating bureau data after a paydown or correction. Learn when it works and when it doesn't.

Refinancing isn't just chasing a lower rate. Understand break-even math, cash-out limits, and the right time to refer past clients back to the lender.

A step-by-step playbook to take a first-time buyer from curiosity to closing — credit, documents, preapproval, contract, and the final 14 days.