All Forum Posts by: Stevan Stojakovic

🏦 Every investor wants to scale. You close one deal, then another, then another - and suddenly you’re a portfolio landlord or a serial flipper with serious volume. On paper, you look strong. But in the eyes of lenders, there’s a hidden problem: too many loans can make you “unlendable.”

Here’s why it happens:
⚠️ Banks hit you with DTI walls - your personal income no longer supports the size of your debt stack, even if every property is cash flowing.
📉 You run into exposure caps - lenders set internal limits on how much they’ll lend to a single borrower, regardless of performance.
🔒 Bridge lenders track active project counts - once you’re juggling too many flips, they pull back, worried about timelines dominoing.

The irony? You’re often denied because you succeeded. You borrowed, executed, and grew - but the system wasn’t built to let you scale endlessly.

The solution is knowing when to change playbooks:
💡 DSCR loans that ignore personal DTI and focus only on rental coverage
💡 Blanket loans that roll multiple properties into one structure and free up capacity
💡 Private capital that evaluates the deal and execution, not just your loan count

I just released a video: “When Too Many Loans Make You ‘Unlendable.’”
Inside, I explain how lender caps actually work, why they freeze out repeat borrowers, and the exact workarounds pros use to keep growing.

👉 Watch here: 

📩 DM us your current portfolio - we’ll map out your next fundable move.

Because the real risk isn’t having too many loans. The real risk is not knowing when the system will decide you do. 🚀

🌾 Investing in rural America has huge upside. Tenants stay longer, prices are stable, competition is low, and the cash flow can be boring in the best way. Yet when it comes to financing, most small-town investors hit the same wall: lenders saying no.

Here’s why:
🚫 Major banks and institutions avoid rural markets because the comps are thin and the buyer pool is shallow.
📊 Appraisers stretch miles and months to find “comps,” which credit committees don’t accept.
💸 To the big lenders, rural deals look messy - so they’d rather pass than take the risk.

But here’s the truth: rural doesn’t mean unfundable. Private and regional lenders underwrite differently. They look at income, borrower strength, and conservative ARVs instead of cookie-cutter guidelines. With the right packaging - rent rolls, liquidity, exit plans, and sometimes cross-collateralization - rural deals can and do get funded.

I just released a video: “Funding Rural Deals - Why Small-Town Investors Struggle.”
Inside, I break down:
🌾 Why banks avoid rural markets
💡 How private lenders evaluate them instead
📈 Real examples of rural properties that still got funded

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 DM us your rural zip - we’ll run it against lenders who actually fund small-town deals.

Because rural America isn’t the problem. The wrong lender is. 🚀

🏠 Mixed-use buildings. Converted warehouses. Quirky residential layouts. Historic structures.

As investors, we love these deals because they stand out, have less competition, and often deliver higher margins. But banks? They hate them.

Here’s why:
– Cookie-cutter homes are easy - predictable comps, predictable exits, easy to sell on the secondary market.
– Unique properties don’t fit the box - appraisers stretch comps, values fluctuate, and underwriting gets messy.
– The result? Banks usually say “not bankable” before even looking at the upside.

I just released a video: “Why Banks Hate Unique Properties.”
Inside, I break down:
⚠️ Why banks avoid unusual assets
📊 How private lenders evaluate them differently
🏢 Real cases where “weird” properties still got funded - and turned into profitable investments

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 Send us your “weird” property - we’ll tell you if it’s still financeable.

Because banks love predictability. But unique deals often create the best opportunities. 🚀

💸 Most investors focus on rate and points. But here’s the truth: the real profit for many lenders doesn’t come at origination - it comes when you hit maturity and need more time.

Extension fees look harmless on a term sheet - “1 point per month” or “3% for 90 days.” But when your project runs long, those line items can wipe out your profit. And for some lenders, extensions aren’t just risk management… they’re a built-in profit center.

I just released a video: “Extension Fees - The Hidden Profit Center for Lenders.”
Inside, I cover:
⚠️ Why extensions cost so much once your project runs over
🕒 When they’re fair vs. when they’re abusive
📑 How to negotiate extension terms before you sign
📉 Real examples of borrowers who paid tens of thousands in surprise fees

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 DM us “EXTEND” for our lender negotiation cheat sheet.

Because in lending, the rate gets your attention. The extension empties your wallet. 🚀

💰 Every borrower loves to talk about net worth. “I’ve got $3M in property.” “My portfolio is worth seven figures.” On paper, it sounds impressive. But here’s the truth: lenders don’t fund net worth. They fund liquidity.

Net worth is paper. You can’t sell half a roof to cover interest payments. What actually matters is cash - seasoned funds in the bank, reserves you can show, liquidity that keeps a project alive when things go sideways.

This is where so many investors get denied. They present a fat balance sheet but can’t prove three months of payments in reserves. To a lender, that’s fragility. On the flip side, I’ve seen borrowers with modest net worth but strong liquidity get approvals in days because their file showed safety.

I just released a video: “Why Liquidity Matters More Than Net Worth to Lenders.”
Inside, I cover:
🏦 The difference between paper net worth and usable liquidity
📑 Why lenders scrutinize your bank statements
⚠️ Real examples of approvals vs. denials based on reserves
📈 How liquidity builds credibility and better loan terms

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 DM us your liquidity snapshot - we’ll show you how lenders really view your file.

Because in lending, net worth gets you bragging rights. Liquidity gets you funded. 🚀

📊 Every investor loves to pitch a big ARV. After-Repair Value is the number that makes the spreadsheet shine and convinces partners there’s profit on the table. But here’s the reality: lenders rarely believe the ARV you submit.

Why? Because investors inflate ARVs all the time - sometimes from optimism, sometimes from sloppy comps, sometimes from outright hype. Lenders know it, and that’s why inflated ARVs are the #1 loan killer.

Lenders don’t underwrite your best-case scenario. They underwrite market reality:
– Tight comps within half a mile, sold in the last 6 months
– Properties that actually match in size, age, and finish
– Rehab scopes that align with the resale price you’re claiming

If your ARV doesn't survive conservative scrutiny, your deal dies before it gets out of underwriting.

I just released a video: “The Truth About ARV - Why Lenders Rarely Believe Yours.”
Inside, I cover:
📉 How lenders calculate ARV vs. how investors pitch it
📑 The data sources that carry real weight
⚠️ Why inflated ARVs instantly destroy credibility
📈 Real examples of approved vs. denied deals

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 Submit your ARV comp set - we'll give you a lender-ready reality check.

Lenders don’t fund hype. They fund reality. 🚀

🌍 Everyone loves the idea of out-of-state deals. Cheaper markets, higher yields, turnkey opportunities. On paper, it looks perfect. But the moment lenders hear “out-of-state,” the risk alarms start going off.

Why? Because distance without oversight equals default.

Lenders have learned this the hard way:
– Borrowers hundreds of miles away can’t control contractors.
– Permits stall, tenants call, inspections get missed.
– By the time the borrower flies in, the damage is already done.

That’s why lenders always ask: “Who’s local?” They want to see property managers with track records, licensed contractors with completed projects, or co-sponsors who actually live in the market. Without that, your file looks speculative, not professional.

I just released a video: “Out-of-State Investing? Here’s Why Lenders Are Nervous.”
Inside, I break down:
👀 Why lenders care so much about boots on the ground
🏠 What you can show to prove local oversight
⚠️ Why some lenders require local sponsorship to close

👉 Watch the full video here:

👉 DM us for our out-of-state investor toolkit lenders actually trust.

Numbers sell the upside. Oversight closes the loan. 🚀

💥 Most investors focus on the big numbers - purchase price, rehab budget, LTV. But the truth is, those rarely kill a deal. What actually blows up closings are the hidden costs nobody budgets for.

Insurance that runs thousands more than you planned. Recording fees and transfer taxes that sneak into the closing statement. Reserves and escrows that shrink your loan proceeds. Appraisals and draw inspections that drain your cash mid-project. Legal fees that suddenly appear in five-digit chunks.

Miss just one of these and your deal can collapse before it even starts.

I just released a video: “The Hidden Costs That Can Blow Up Your Loan.”
Inside, I cover:
🏠 The most common overlooked fees investors miss
💸 How lenders calculate the true cost of borrowing
⚠️ Real-world examples of deals killed by hidden costs

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 DM us for our hidden-cost checklist before you submit your next deal.

One overlooked line item can kill a deal. Professionals don’t guess - they underwrite the full stack. 🚀

💰 Every investor loves leverage. The less money down, the more deals you can chase. But here’s the truth: 5% down vs 20% down changes everything.

At 5% down, the math looks amazing. You control more property with less cash, and your return on paper explodes. But the risk is brutal. One rehab overage, one delayed sale, one market hiccup - and you’re wiped out. That’s why lenders get nervous when borrowers come in skinny. With little skin in the game, default risk skyrockets.

At 20% down, you’re tying up more liquidity, but your survival odds improve dramatically. Lenders give you better terms, you’ve got room to absorb shocks, and you can ride out a slow market. Long term, the disciplined 20% down investor often ends up wealthier than the 5% down borrower who flames out after a few shaky flips.

I just released a video: “5% vs 20% Down - The Real Math on Risk and Returns.”
Inside, I break down:
📉 Why leverage feels good but can kill a deal
🏦 How lenders really look at your down payment
📈 The long-term wealth difference between going skinny and playing disciplined

👉 Watch the full video here: 

👉 DM us for our ROI worksheet that compares different down payment levels.

Leverage is a double-edged sword. Use it right, you scale. Use it wrong, you disappear. 🚀

❌ Banks love to make credit score the end of the conversation. Below their cutoff, your file is dead. But private lenders don’t operate that way. Credit matters - it sets pricing and terms - but it isn’t the verdict.

Here’s the truth: most private lenders draw the line around 620–640. But I’ve seen approvals in the high 500s when the deal itself was strong. Why? Because credit is just one piece of the risk picture.

If you’ve got real equity in the deal, solid margin, documented reserves, or an experienced partner on your team, those compensating factors can override a weak score. And if your exit strategy is clear and layered - sell retail if the market is hot, refinance and hold if it cools - lenders see a path to getting repaid. That matters more than the number.

I just released a video: “Loan Denied for Credit? Here’s What Actually Matters.”
Inside, I cover:
💡 The minimum thresholds most private lenders use
📈 What factors can override bad credit
🏚️ Real-world examples of deals that got approved with weak FICO scores

👉 Watch the full video here:

👉 DM us your FICO and scenario, and we’ll show you where you really stand.

Credit isn’t the full story. The deal, the plan, and the people matter more. 🚀