Idaho home loans, from Boise and Meridian to Coeur d'Alene.
Program figures verified July 2026, details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Idaho-licensed lending for buyers in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Idaho Falls, and Coeur d'Alene. Real numbers on the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750, Idaho Housing's Finally Home! programs, and the county FHA caps that run from $541,287 to $759,000. Mike Certo runs the complex Treasure Valley and North Idaho files himself.
Cornerstone is an Idaho Housing, approved lender, licensed statewide from Ada and Canyon County up to Kootenai County. We originate the Finally Home! first mortgage and its down payment second directly.
Real Boise and Nampa numbers, no salesy script. We will tell you when Idaho Housing's repayable 8% second costs more than a plain Conventional 97, because for some files it does.
First-time buyer in Meridian, self-employed in Coeur d'Alene, jumbo near Sun Valley, Boise rental investor, or a move-up seller in Eagle: we cover the full toolbox.
Mike and his seasoned Idaho loan officers handle every file directly, from pre-approval through the Ada County closing table. No handoffs. You always know where the loan stands.
Pick the Idaho loan path that fits your situation.
Each guide goes deep on one kind of Idaho buyer, from Twin Falls first-timers to Coeur d'Alene investors. Land directly on the answers that matter to you.
Down Payment Assistance
Chenoa, Arrive Home, and Essex/NHF national DPA we originate directly, plus the straight 2026 story on Idaho Housing's repayable 8% second, the FHLB Home$tart $15,000 grant, and who can actually offer each in Idaho.
See Idaho DPA details →Buy Before You Sell
Bridge financing that removes the contingency from your Boise or Meridian offer. Buy your next Treasure Valley home before the current one sells. Listing agents in a tight Ada County market: this is the deal-saver.
See BBYS details →Self-Employed Loans
Bank statement, 1099, and asset-qualifier paths for Idaho's contractors, farmers, and Coeur d'Alene small-business owners. Qualify on what your business actually makes, not what your Schedule C shows after deductions.
See Self-Employed details →Jumbo & Doctor Loans
Full doc, alt doc, super jumbo above Idaho's $832,750 conforming line, plus the Medical Professionals program for St. Luke's and Saint Alphonsus physicians: up to 100% LTV, no PMI, FICO 680, residents and fellows eligible 150 days pre-start.
See Jumbo / Doctor details →Investor & DSCR Loans
DSCR loans that finance below a 1.0 ratio on Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and McCall rentals. Short-term-rental and standard rental options, built for Idaho's Airbnb and VRBO markets.
See Investor / DSCR details →First-Time Home Buyer Loans
FHA at 3.5% down, $0-down USDA across the roughly 98% of Idaho that qualifies, and Conventional 97, plus Chenoa / Arrive / Essex DPA-paired structures. Designed for the Nampa or Pocatello buyer with real-life income and credit, not perfect-paper applicants.
See First-Time Buyer details →An Idaho-licensed loan officer, not a call-center voice.
Mike Certo is the Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage, licensed across Idaho from the Treasure Valley up to the Panhandle. He leads seasoned Idaho loan officers and works directly with the buyer and the agent through the Ada or Kootenai County closing. No junior LO running the file behind the scenes. No handoffs in the middle of escrow.
What you get when you work with Mike:
- Direct line. Real cell phone, real return calls within hours, not days.
- Real numbers. Honest math on Idaho Housing versus national DPA, including when neither beats a plain Conventional 97 on your Boise or Nampa purchase.
- Files that close. Mike specializes in the complex Idaho deals: self-employed income docs, Treasure Valley contingency removal, Sun Valley jumbo with student debt, Coeur d'Alene investors at scale.
Common questions.
Why does ID Loan Experts have multiple websites?
Each lending niche has its own questions. We built dedicated Idaho guides for down payment assistance, buy-before-you-sell, self-employed loans, jumbo, investor, and first-time-buyer paths so a Boise or Coeur d'Alene buyer lands directly on the answers that matter. ID Loan Experts is the brand parent linking them, and Idaho Housing's Finally Home! programs run through every one.
What kind of borrowers do you typically work with?
First-time buyers in Nampa and Twin Falls using down payment assistance, self-employed borrowers who need bank-statement or 1099 loans, jumbo borrowers including St. Luke's and Saint Alphonsus doctors, investors using DSCR on Idaho rentals, and move-up buyers who need bridge financing to remove the contingency from their Treasure Valley offers.
Do you work with real estate agents?
Yes, we close the complex deals. Listing agents from Boise to Coeur d'Alene bring us their CCBS files (contract contingent on buyer sale) so we can provide bridge financing that removes the contingency. Buyer agents bring us self-employed, complex-doc, or unusual-property files across Ada, Canyon, and Kootenai County. Visit the For Agents page for 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 Idaho scenario through the contact form. Our team calls you back shortly. Pre-approval on an Idaho Housing or conventional file typically takes 24-48 hours after 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.