About Investor Loans South Carolina
We're the investor-lending arm of Mike Certo's team at Cornerstone First Mortgage: a direct lender, licensed in all 50 states, with 23 years of residential lending behind the desk.
Who we are
Investor Loans South Carolina is run by Mike Certo, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage (NMLS #173855), and the team around him. Mike has originated residential mortgages for 23 years, through two rate cycles, one housing crash, and every flavor of investor market in between. He holds NMLS #260555, and Cornerstone lends as a direct lender in all 50 states and DC.
This site exists because investor lending is where generic mortgage advice fails hardest. A South Carolina rental deal turns on things most loan officers never touch: whether the rent schedule carries the ratio, whether the 6% assessment ratio doubled the tax line the listing showed, whether Folly Beach or Isle of Palms rules apply on that block, whether the LLC takes title at the attorney's table. We work those questions all week.
How we work
- Real numbers, no salesy script. We run the actual PITIA against realistic rent, at the 6% tax ratio, before you offer, and we'll tell you when a deal doesn't pencil.
- You always know where you are in the loan process. Communication is the thing our clients mention most, and we guard that reputation.
- Verified facts, dated. Every figure on this site traces to a source and carries its verification date. When a rule is in motion (and Charleston's occupancy proposal, Folly Beach's review, and Hilton Head's new rules all are), we say so instead of rounding to a comfortable answer.
- Direct lender. Underwriting, docs, and funding under one roof.
What we lend
DSCR purchases and refinances, investor cash-out, short-term-rental financing, bank-statement loans for the self-employed, foreign-national programs, and conventional investor loans, all across South Carolina. Start with the programs page, the DSCR guide, or just send us the deal.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. City STR rules, tax figures, and filing deadlines change; verify current requirements with the city or county, your CPA, or a South Carolina real estate attorney before you buy. Loans are subject to buyer and property qualification.