Not every solid borrower fits the boxes that conventional and government loans use. Non-QM mortgages exist for the people in between: business owners, retirees living on savings, borrowers with an ITIN and buyers of condos that agency loans will not finance. If you live in Kingstowne, this page explains what makes a loan non-QM and how to weigh the programs and lenders available in Virginia.
Call to speak with a licensed loan officer about Non-QM loans in Kingstowne. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Non-QM lending signals in Fairfax County
In 2024, lenders reported 156 first-lien home loans in Fairfax County with an interest-only feature and 9 with a balloon payment. Those features are not allowed in a Qualified Mortgage, so loans that carry them fall outside the QM rules. Among first-lien loans in the county that reported a debt-to-income ratio, 6.1% had a ratio above 50%. About 21.6% of people in Kingstowne were born abroad, and borrowers with foreign income, foreign credit or an ITIN often look at non-QM programs, while 11.3% of owner-occupied homes sit in buildings with 10 or more units, where condo project reviews come into play.
What makes a mortgage non-QM
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Ability-to-Repay rule requires lenders to make a reasonable, good-faith determination that you can repay a mortgage before they make it. Loans that meet the Qualified Mortgage definition are presumed to satisfy that rule. A QM cannot include risky features such as negative amortization, an interest-only period or, with limited exceptions, a balloon payment. It must also stay within limits on upfront points and fees and on pricing, and the lender must verify income or assets and debts.
A non-QM loan is simply one that does not meet that definition. It might document income another way, include an initial interest-only period or finance a property agency loans avoid. The lender must still verify that you can repay.
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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 508-8976. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.
The non-QM program menu and how to pick from it
Non-QM is a menu, not a single product. Bank statement programs estimate income from deposits. Profit-and-loss programs use a statement prepared or verified by a CPA, EA or licensed tax preparer. Asset depletion programs, also called asset utilization, divide eligible assets by a number of months the program sets to create a qualifying income figure, which can suit retirees and savers with modest earned income.
Other programs serve borrowers with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number, foreign nationals buying in the United States, borrowers with a past foreclosure, short sale or bankruptcy, and buyers in non-warrantable condo projects. Rental-property loans based on the property's rent are a separate category. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Who this tends to fit
- You have an ITIN instead of a Social Security number
- Your income is real but does not show up cleanly on tax returns or W-2s
- You are a foreign national buying a home in the United States
- You are buying in a condo project that conventional investors will not accept
- You want an initial interest-only period, which a Qualified Mortgage cannot include
Local offices and Virginia rules to know
- Property assessment: Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration - Real Estate Division.
- Deed and mortgage recording: Fairfax Circuit Court Clerk - Land Records Division. Your mortgage is recorded here after closing.
Mortgage lenders, brokers and loan originators serving Virginia are licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Financial Institutions. Non-QM loans are made by the same licensed lenders and brokers, so you can confirm any company's or loan officer's license on NMLS Consumer Access before you apply.
Comparing non-QM lenders and brokers in Kingstowne
Non-QM guidelines are written by the investors who buy the loans, and each investor draws its lines differently. One may be more flexible about a past credit event, another may accept a condo project the rest decline, and a third may handle asset-based income in a way that suits you. That variety is why the lender or broker you choose matters more here than with agency loans.
A mortgage broker can submit your file to several wholesale non-QM lenders and compare how each treats it. A direct lender offers its own programs. Either way, ask which programs they can offer, how they would document your income and what could change between application and closing. Then compare the Loan Estimate each one provides.
Before you call
- A plan to request Loan Estimates from more than one lender or broker in the same window
- A list of your assets, where they are held and which are retirement accounts
- A plain description of how you earn money and how it reaches you
- Your preference between fixed and adjustable rates and whether interest-only appeals to you
- The property type, including condo project details if you are buying a unit
Questions Kingstowne borrowers ask about Non-QM loans
What is a non-QM loan?
A non-QM loan is a mortgage that does not meet the Qualified Mortgage definition under the CFPB's Ability-to-Repay rule. It may use alternative income documentation, include a feature such as an initial interest-only period, or finance a borrower or property that agency guidelines will not. The lender must still make a reasonable, good-faith determination that you can repay. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Is non-QM the same as subprime?
No. Subprime describes a borrower's credit, while non-QM describes how a loan relates to the Qualified Mortgage rules. Many non-QM borrowers have strong credit and substantial assets but earn income in ways standard guidelines handle poorly. Non-QM loans must also meet the Ability-to-Repay rule that followed the 2008 crisis, so the lender has to document that you can repay before closing.
Do non-QM programs work for ITIN holders and foreign nationals?
Programs exist for borrowers with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number and for foreign nationals buying in the United States. Lenders commonly ask for an ITIN letter from the IRS, a passport, a visa if applicable, foreign bank statements, a U.S. bank account and credit references. For questions about immigration or tax residency, consult an immigration attorney or talk to a tax professional.
Should I check conventional options before non-QM?
Usually, yes. If your income documents cleanly on tax returns and W-2s and the property fits agency guidelines, a conventional or government loan often prices lower and is worth checking first. Non-QM makes sense when that path is closed or when its rules would force you to understate what you earn. A loan officer who offers both can compare them side by side for your situation.
Get answers about Non-QM loans for a home in or around Kingstowne. Subject to credit approval; programs vary.
Other non-QM options for Kingstowne borrowers
Bank statement loans in KingstowneSelf-employed1099 loansP&L loansAsset depletionNo-doc / stated incomeNew self-employedITIN loansForeign nationalNon-warrantable condoBank statement HELOCInterest-only
Non-QM Loans near Kingstowne
- Non-QM Loans in Franconia, VA (1 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Springfield, VA (2 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Groveton, VA (3 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Woodlawn, VA (3 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Rose Hill, VA (3 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Newington, VA (3 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Hybla Valley, VA (3 mi)
- Non-QM Loans in Fort Belvoir, VA (3 mi)
Related guides
- What Is a Non-QM Loan?
- QM vs. Non-QM Loans: What the Difference Means for You
- How to Compare Non-QM Loan Offers: Loan Estimates, Features and Fit
Non-QM Loans across Virginia · Non-QM Loans guide · Virginia overview
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- 2024 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for Fairfax County (first liens, excluding reverse mortgages, lines of credit and business-purpose loans)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B05002 and B25032