Loan Process
How to Get a Floating Home Loan in Sausalito
A step-by-step guide from lender selection to closing — including what makes floating home financing different from a conventional mortgage.
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Loan Types
Chattel Loan vs. Marine Loan: What's the Difference?
The terms get used interchangeably, but they're not the same. Here's how to tell them apart — and which one fits your purchase.
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Loan Process
How Much Down Payment Do You Need for a Floating Home?
Down payment requirements for floating homes are higher than conventional mortgages. Here's the breakdown by loan type and what affects your number.
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Lenders
The Only Two Lenders That Finance Sausalito Floating Homes
There are exactly two institutional lenders: Bank of Marin and a second lender Paul works with directly. Both max at $1M. Here's what that means for you.
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Refinancing
Refinancing a Floating Home: Your Complete Guide
When to refinance, how the process works, cash-out options, and what's different about refinancing a floating home vs. a land home.
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Loan Types
Portfolio Loans for Floating Homes: How They Work
Portfolio lenders hold loans on their own books — which gives them flexibility to finance floating homes that don't fit conventional guidelines.
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Loan Process
First-Time Floating Home Buyer: Financing Guide
Everything first-time buyers need to know before applying for a floating home loan — numbers, timeline, common mistakes, and the checklist.
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Lenders
What Floating Home Lenders Actually Look For
A detailed breakdown of how floating home lenders evaluate borrowers, property condition, slip leases, and dock association health.
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Loan Process
Marine Survey Requirements for Floating Home Loans
Every floating home lender requires a marine survey. What it covers, what it costs, and how survey results affect your loan approval.
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Loan Process
How Your Slip Lease Terms Affect Your Floating Home Loan
The slip lease is often the most important document in a floating home financing transaction. Here's exactly what lenders are looking for.
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Loan Types
Private Lending for Floating Homes: What You Need to Know
When private lending is the right tool — speed, credit challenges, unusual properties — and how the bridge-to-permanent strategy works.
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Loan Process
Floating Home Loan Document Checklist
The complete list of documents needed for a floating home loan — income, assets, property, slip lease, HOA, and insurance, organized by category.
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Lenders
Why Conventional Banks Decline Floating Home Loans
The structural reasons Wells Fargo, Chase, and retail banks can't fund floating homes — and what that means for where you actually get your loan.
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Refinancing
Floating Home Equity: Can You Get a HELOC?
Conventional HELOCs don't work on floating homes. Here's the honest answer on equity access — and the options that actually work.
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Rates
Rate Comparison: Floating Home Loan Types in 2026
How interest rates compare across marine loans, portfolio loans, chattel loans, and private lending — and what factors move your rate up or down.
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