— ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE LOANS

— KNOXVILLE MARKET

Knoxville is East Tennessee’s anchor city and one of the Southeast’s most compelling primary residence and relocation markets – a genuine city with a walkable downtown, a world-class university, a nationally recognized food and music scene, and outdoor recreation access that few markets can match. The University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and a growing roster of technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing employers anchor a professional economy that has driven sustained in-migration from higher-cost markets across the country.

Key Knoxville Communities

Conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo programs serve the majority of Knoxville and Knox County buyers across price segments. Non-QM bank statement, asset-based, and 1099 programs serve Knoxville’s growing population of self-employed professionals, technology entrepreneurs, and out-of-state relocators whose income structures benefit from flexible qualification.

→ Jumbo Loans
→ Explore Non-QM Mortgage Programs
→ VA Loans

— SMOKY MOUNTAINS MARKET

Sevier County is home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the most visited national park in the United States with over 13 million annual visitors – and one of the most active, well-documented, and consistently performing short-term rental investment markets in the country. What makes Sevier County genuinely distinct from a financing perspective is the nature of its property inventory. Log cabins, A-frame chalets, and resort cluster condominium developments define the market’s character – and the majority of these property types fall outside standard Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending guidelines. Pacific Home Loans’ team has direct experience with Sevier County’s specific financing environment, including the project-level review requirements that buyers need to understand before making an offer.

Financing in the Smoky Mountains market commonly involves PrimeResort™ and portfolio programs for non-warrantable resort cluster and chalet condominium developments, DSCR qualification for investors targeting Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge’s strong and consistent rental income market, unique property type underwriting for A-frame, log cabin, and chalet architectural styles, and out-of-state investor profiles with self-employed and complex income documentation needs.

→ PrimeResort™ Condo Financing
→ DSCR Loan Programs
→ Portfolio Loans & Flexible Financing Solutions

— TRI-CITIES MARKET

The Tri-Cities region – Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol spanning the Tennessee-Virginia border – is East Tennessee’s northeastern anchor, defined by a stable primary residence market, a significant healthcare and university presence, and a buyer profile that prizes affordability, outdoor recreation access, and a quality of life that larger metros cannot match at comparable price points.

Johnson City is anchored by East Tennessee State University and Ballad Health’s flagship Quillen College of Medicine, generating a consistent population of university faculty, medical professionals, and healthcare executives whose income structures frequently benefit from physician loan programs and Non-QM qualification. Kingsport is home to Eastman Chemical Company – one of the region’s largest employers – and a well-established primary residence market with strong community character and consistent demand from professional and family buyers. Bristol straddles the Tennessee-Virginia border with a distinct dual-state identity, a NASCAR heritage anchored by Bristol Motor Speedway, and a primary residence market serving both Tennessee and Virginia buyers.

VA, FHA, conventional, and Non-QM programs serve the Tri-Cities’ diverse buyer base, with VA loans particularly relevant for the region’s veteran and military family population.

→ VA Loans
→ Explore Non-QM Mortgage Programs

— SHORT-TERM RENTAL & DSCR FINANCING

Sevier County is one of the most proven and consistently performing short-term rental investment markets in the United States. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s consistent visitation – over 13 million annual visitors spanning every season – creates rental demand that extends across all months of the year, giving Sevier County vacation properties among the strongest year-round occupancy rates of any short-term rental market in the country. Income used for DSCR qualification may include existing rental history from Airbnb, VRBO, or property management platforms, AirDNA market data and projected short-term rental income for properties without established rental history, and appraiser-supported rental income analysis based on local comparable data.

→ DSCR Loan Programs
→ Explore Non-QM Mortgage Programs

— WHY PACIFIC HOME LOANS

Smoky Mountain Resort Expertise – Deep experience with Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge’s non-warrantable cabin and chalet developments, including Chalet Village and the resort cluster inventory that requires PrimeResort™ or portfolio financing.

DSCR & Vacation Rental Specialists – Investor cash flow programs for one of the country’s most proven short-term rental markets, with experienced navigation of Sevier County’s established rental income documentation requirements.

Knoxville Primary Residence Depth – Full-service conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo programs for Knoxville and Knox County buyers across all price segments and community types.

Tri-Cities Healthcare & Professional Programs – Non-QM and physician loan programs for East Tennessee State University faculty, Ballad Health physicians, and Eastman Chemical professionals.

Unique Property Type Experience – Underwriting familiarity with A-frame chalets, log cabins, and mountain chalet structures requiring specialist approach beyond standard property types.

Licensed Across 10 States – Hawaii-headquartered with multi-state licensing, serving borrowers wherever their investment journey takes them.

— COMMON QUESTIONS