Finding a lender in Richmond, Virginia

[Alma Kenup]

The tl; dr of my issue is this: I’m having trouble securing a loan— and/ or getting prequalified.

I’ve heard noes from 5 banks I’m the Richmond, Chesterfield and Colonial Heights area. The breakdown is: a credit union, 2 small banks and 2 big banks. Where am I not looking?

My family just relocated to the US after living abroad for almost 7 years— we just moved to Richmond from Los Angeles and so are new to Virginia. I’m a teacher (currently substitute teaching— waiting for my out-of state license) and my husband is self employed. We both have above 750 credit scores, have filed out taxes while living abroad, and have exactly zero debt. We have a sizebable amount in our bank accounts and in broad market index funds.... so

If anyone has any information on any banks or other options I may have missed, I’d love to hear ‘em.

I realize we may look like bums on paper because after finishing our teaching contracts abroad in September of 2017, we traveled the world with our son for a few months— and so technically have a gap of unemployment.