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Cornerstone First Mortgage · Mike Certo NMLS #260555

Texas home loans, from down payment assistance to jumbo.

Texas-licensed lending across Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and El Paso. We map TDHCA and TSAHC assistance to your county, quote real numbers, and build the loan around your scenario. Every file runs through a Cornerstone branch manager who works the hard deals himself.

Texas figures verified July 2026 against TDHCA, TSAHC, and FHFA. Assistance amounts and county income limits change through the year, so we confirm your Harris, Bexar, or Travis County numbers before you apply.

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Texas-Licensed Lender

A Texas-licensed team that knows TDHCA My First Texas Home, the TSAHC grants, and the city DPA programs in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

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Honest Advice

Real numbers on your Harris County or Travis County payment. We tell you when Texas down payment assistance actually isn't the cheapest way in.

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Solutions for Every Goal

A first-time buyer in El Paso, a self-employed founder in Austin, a jumbo buyer in Dallas, a Fort Worth investor: we cover the full Texas lender's toolbox.

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Fast, Clear Communication

Mike and his Texas-licensed loan officers work every file from Katy to Amarillo directly. No handoffs, and you always know where your Texas loan stands.

Loan Programs

Pick the Texas path that fits your county and your file.

Each guide goes deep on one kind of Texas buyer, from a TSAHC first-timer in San Antonio to a DSCR investor in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Start on the one that matches your scenario.

First-time buyers

Down Payment Assistance

TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes, TSAHC Home Sweet Texas, TDHCA My Choice Texas Home, City of El Paso DPA, MCC Tax Credit, plus Chenoa, Arrive, and Essex. The full TX DPA menu, explained simply.

See Texas DPA details →
Move-up buyers

Buy Before You Sell

Bridge financing so your Plano or Frisco move-up offer isn't contingent on selling first. Buy the next house, then sell the current one on your timeline. Dallas-area listing agents call this the deal-saver.

See BBYS details →
Self-employed buyers

Self-Employed Loans

Bank-statement, 1099, and asset-qualifier paths for Austin founders and Houston contractors. Qualify on what your business actually banks, not the number left after Schedule C deductions.

See Self-Employed details →
Higher loan amounts

Jumbo & Doctor Loans

Full-doc, alt-doc, and super jumbo above the $832,750 Texas conforming limit, plus the Medical Professionals loan used by physicians at MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, and UT Southwestern. Up to 100% LTV, no PMI, FICO 680.

See Jumbo / Doctor details →
Real estate investors

Investor & DSCR Loans

DSCR loans that qualify on the rental income, including sub-1.0-ratio deals in Bexar and Tarrant counties that other lenders pass on. Long-term rentals plus short-term-rental income for San Antonio and Hill Country STR markets.

See Investor / DSCR details →
FHA / first-time

First-Time Home Buyer Loans

FHA at 3.5% down, USDA at zero down outside the metros, and Conventional 97 at 3% down, each paired with TSAHC or TDHCA assistance. Built for the El Paso or Corpus Christi buyer with real-life income and credit.

See First-Time Buyer details →
Meet Mike

A licensed Texas loan officer, not a call-center voice.

Mike Certo is the Branch Manager of Cornerstone First Mortgage's Texas-licensed branch. He and his Texas-licensed loan officers work your file directly, from application to the closing table, whether the house sits in Katy, Round Rock, or down in the Rio Grande Valley. No junior processor learning on your escrow.

What you get when you work with Mike:

  • Direct line. A real cell number and same-day callbacks, not a Houston call-center queue.
  • Real numbers. Honest math on your Bexar County taxes and whether TDHCA My First Texas Home or a TSAHC grant actually beats a plain 3%-down conventional.
  • Files that close. Mike works the complicated Texas deals: self-employed income, contingency removal on a Plano move-up, jumbo with student debt, investors scaling across Tarrant County.
For real estate agents

The Texas lender you call when the deal has a complication.

Listing agents in Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston: when your buyer's offer hangs on selling their current home first, our Buy Before You Sell bridge clears that contingency so the deal closes clean. Buyer agents, send us the self-employed Austin file, the jumbo-with-student-debt resident at UT Southwestern, or the investor already holding six doors in Harris County. Those are the files we do best.

FAQ

Common questions.

What is the conforming loan limit in Texas for 2026?

In 2026 the conforming loan limit is $832,750 in every Texas county. Texas has no high-cost counties, so loan amounts above $832,750 are jumbo.

Does Texas have a state income tax?

No. Texas charges no state income tax, but property tax rates run high, roughly 1.5% to 3% effective. For 2026 the school-district homestead exemption is $140,000, up from $100,000 after voters passed Proposition 13 in November 2025, which lowers the taxable value on your primary residence.

Why does TX Loan Experts have multiple websites?

Each Texas lending niche has its own questions. We built separate guides for TDHCA and TSAHC down payment assistance, buy-before-you-sell bridges, self-employed bank-statement loans, jumbo, DSCR investor loans, and first-time buyers so a San Antonio teacher and a Dallas investor each land on the answers that fit. TX Loan Experts is the parent brand linking them.

What kind of borrowers do you typically work with?

First-time buyers pairing FHA with TSAHC Home Sweet Texas or TDHCA My First Texas Home, self-employed Austin and Houston borrowers on bank-statement or 1099 loans, jumbo buyers including physicians at the Texas Medical Center, DSCR investors buying rentals across Bexar and Tarrant counties, and move-up buyers who need bridge financing to drop the contingency from an offer.

Do you work with real estate agents?

Yes, hard files are the specialty. Dallas and Houston listing agents bring us their Contract Contingent on Buyer Sale (CCBS) files so a bridge loan removes the contingency. Buyer agents send the self-employed, complex-doc, or unusual-property deals. The For Agents page has the full referral playbook.

What's the fastest way to find out if you can help me?

Call (480) 296-6513 and ask for Mike, or send your Texas scenario through the contact form. Our team calls you back shortly, and pre-approval usually takes 24 to 48 hours once your Harris or Travis County credit and income docs are in.

Ready when you are.

Get pre-approved in 24-48 hours, or talk to Mike first to figure out which path fits.

Not ready to talk yet?

What clients are saying

Verified reviews from Mike Certo's experience.com profile \u2014 updated automatically.