Home Loans

Home Loans, Done Straight

FHA, VA, conventional, and USDA loans for people buying a home to live in — with a lender who answers his own phone.

Up to 100% financing on eligible VA and USDA loans, and up to 96.5% on FHA. Credit scores down to 580 can work.

The short answer

If you’re buying a home to live in, we can run the loan. Lawton Building and Loan handles FHA, VA, conventional, and USDA mortgages in Texas, Florida, California, and Arizona. Low down payment options exist on all of them — VA and USDA can mean no down payment at all for eligible buyers, and FHA and conventional can start around 3 to 3.5% down. If your file isn’t a clean, easy one — self-employed income, a thin credit file, a score that took some hits — that’s not an automatic no here. We underwrite by hand when a file needs it.

What we do

• FHA loans — low down payment, flexible credit, and manual underwriting for files the computer says no to.
• VA loans — for veterans, active-duty, and eligible surviving spouses. No down payment for most buyers.
• USDA loans — no down payment for eligible rural and small-town buyers and properties.
• Conventional loans — including low-down-payment options for qualified buyers.
• TBD underwrites — a real, full underwrite before you find the house, so your offer goes in with weight behind it.
• First-time buyers welcome — we’ll walk the whole thing in plain English, start to finish.

Who this fits

• First-time buyers who want a straight answer on what they can actually afford.
• Veterans and military families using VA benefits — maybe for the second or third time.
• Self-employed buyers (your tax returns may not tell the whole story — see our bank statement loans page, too).
• Buyers who got a fast “no” somewhere else and want a second look with human eyes.

How it works

1. Call or text (817) 862-6922 — or reach out through lawtonbuildingandloan.com. Ten minutes tells us both if there’s a fit.
2. We run real numbers — not a guess and not a teaser rate. What the payment is, what the cash to close is, what could trip us up.
3. Get approved for real — including a full TBD underwrite if you’re still house-hunting.
4. Close, and we keep watching — when you close a loan with us, we watch it for a lower rate. Forever. If a refinance ever genuinely saves you money, you’ll hear it from us first.

FAQ

How much do I need for a down payment? It depends on the program. VA and USDA can be zero down for eligible buyers. FHA starts at 3.5% down, and some conventional loans start at 3%. Down payment assistance can help with the rest — see our down payment assistance page.

My credit isn’t great. Is it worth calling? Yes. FHA in particular has room for thinner files and past credit problems, and manual underwriting means a person reviews your whole picture instead of a score making the decision alone.

I’m self-employed and my tax returns show low income. Can I buy a house? Very often, yes. Bank statement and P&L loan programs qualify you on what actually comes in, not what your returns show after write-offs. Ask us and we’ll compare both routes.

Do you lend in my state? We’re licensed in Texas, Florida, California, and Arizona for home loans.

How fast can we close? Every file is different, but the honest answer is: a clean, complete file moves fast, and we’ll tell you up front what we need from you so there are no surprises at the end.

Start here

Call or text (817) 862-6922, or visit lawtonbuildingandloan.com.

Educational information only — not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval, and programs change.

— Joel Lawton, Lawton Building and Loan, NMLS #380245