Sophisticated Jumbo financing for Arizona's high-end market.
Mike Certo runs the Phoenix branch of Cornerstone First Mortgage. The Arizona Jumbo program focuses on the files most lenders aren't built to handle — self-employed business owners, high-net-worth retirees, physicians, and estate-class purchases that require the right pairing of program, underwriter, and structure.
Meet Mike Certo
With more than two decades of mortgage experience, Mike Certo built his Phoenix branch around a specific idea: complex files deserve clear thinking, practical strategy, and honest answers. Every Jumbo borrower's situation is different — and the right financing approach should be matched carefully to the borrower, not the other way around.
Our team consults directly with every client. No call-center handoffs, no transfers mid-escrow. Whether you're a Microsoft executive relocating from Seattle, a Scottsdale business owner with complex compensation, a physician with a future contract in hand, or a buyer between liquidity events, the conversation is handled by the same team from start to close.
Who we serve
The Arizona Jumbo platform is built for borrowers whose situations need real product depth:
- Technology and healthcare executives with significant equity compensation
- Business owners whose tax returns understate true cash flow
- Physicians, dentists, and medical professionals at every training stage
- High-net-worth retirees living on portfolio distributions
- Borrowers between business ventures or recently liquid
- Out-of-state professionals relocating to Arizona
- Estate-class buyers in Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale, Sedona
How we work
We structure Jumbo financing around your real financial profile rather than forcing your file into a rigid documentation lane. That means active relationships across specialized Jumbo strategies — traditional, self-employed, asset-based, physician, and super-Jumbo — so we can pair the right strategy to your situation rather than recommending whatever happens to be the easiest program to underwrite.
High-net-worth borrowers value discretion. We operate accordingly: minimum required documentation, direct communication, and clear assessment without a generic sales script.
What we won't do
- Force a traditional-documentation approach around a self-employed file just because it's the easiest program to underwrite.
- Quote a rate we know won't actually fund.
- Pad the file with documentation you don't need to provide.
- Pressure you toward a decision before you're ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for a jumbo loan in Arizona?
In 2026 an Arizona jumbo loan, meaning any loan above the $832,750 conforming limit, generally requires roughly a 680 to 720+ credit score, 10 to 20% down, 6 to 12 months of reserves, and a debt-to-income ratio around 43 to 45%, plus a full appraisal. As a direct lender, we match your file to the program whose guidelines fit.
What credit score do you need for a jumbo loan in Arizona?
Most Arizona jumbos start around a 680 minimum under $1.5M, and 700 to 720+ is generally needed for larger loan amounts. Our physician program is among the most accommodating. We assess credit against your real file rather than a single table range.
How much down payment do you need for a jumbo loan in Arizona?
Down payment typically runs 10 to 20%, with 20% the common baseline. We offer a 10%-down option, and on stronger files a 10%-down, no-PMI jumbo reaches up to about $3M. Larger loan amounts and non-owner-occupied properties require more equity.
What documentation is required for a jumbo loan?
Full-doc jumbos use two years of tax returns plus W-2s, recent pay stubs, and asset statements. Self-employed borrowers can use alt-doc paths instead — bank statements, a CPA-prepared P&L, or asset-based qualifying — so the documentation is the minimum your specific program requires, not a kitchen-sink file.
Direct conversation. No script.
Bring your purchase target, liquidity picture, and income structure. Twenty minutes to know which Jumbo strategy fits.