Evan Rutherford | Arbor Home Loans

Arbor Home Loans is a locally rooted mortgage lender with offices from Virginia Beach up to Richmond and the Outer Banks. Represented in RVA by Evan Rutherford, the team supports residential purchases across the standard suite of programs—Conventional, VA, FHA, and USDA—plus in-house portfolio options when a file needs more flexibility. Those include bridge loans to help buyers write non-contingent offers, professional loans (notably a Medical Professionals Program), and investor solutions for fix-and-flip or long-term holds. Arbor’s model is intentionally relationship-focused: the same processors, underwriters, and closers touch every file; the loan team is available after hours when offers move fast; and they coordinate closely with agents at offer time to present a strong, clean package.

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Customer Experience: What to Expect When Working With Evan Rutherford at Arbor Home Loans

Rutherford describes Arbor as “boots on the ground” in Richmond. That shows up early, often before a contract is signed. The team fields quick questions, runs payment scenarios for specific properties on nights and weekends, and confirms numbers before buyers submit an offer. Once an offer is written, they call the listing agent to explain the file strength, timing, and communication plan so the seller’s side is confident the loan will close on schedule. Behind the scenes, Arbor keeps one operations team together—processors, underwriters, and closers who know one another’s standards—so conditions and documents move cleanly from pre-approval to clear-to-close.

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Program range is a second hallmark. In addition to Conventional, FHA, USDA, and VA, Arbor maintains portfolio options. Bridge loans are typically 12 months and help homeowners with built-up equity buy first and sell later, allowing time to move, stage, and maximize sale price. The Medical Professionals Program is unusually flexible: it considers a wide set of medical roles (physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, PAs, NPs, surgical assistants, and others) and may offer up to 100% financing with no mortgage insurance for well-qualified clients. The program can consider second homes and investment properties; for investments, expect at least 10% down and no mortgage insurance. Collateral quality matters; unique or hard-to-resell properties and many condos may not fit. For VA borrowers, Arbor is veteran-owned at the leadership level, pulls Certificates of Eligibility early in pre-approval, and evaluates second-tier entitlement so qualified buyers can hold two VA loans when the numbers support it.

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“We created our own company that truly focuses on the client as the important part of the transaction.”
— Evan Rutherford, Arbor Home Loans

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Mortgage & Home-Buying Tips for RVA Homeowners

• Get a local, fully documented pre-approval: Share pay stubs, W-2s or 1099s, and full housing costs so your numbers are accurate when you write. Ask your loan team to run the exact property before you submit an offer.
• Use a bridge loan when a sale contingency hurts you: If you have strong equity, a 12-month bridge can let you buy first, move at a sane pace, and sell later. Confirm closing costs, interest, and how payoff works at sale.
• Ask about the Medical Professionals Program early: Many roles qualify beyond physicians. For top-tier terms like 100% financing with no MI, expect strong credit, solid reserves, and marketable collateral.
• For investors, plan for 10%+ down and no MI: The medical program can consider investment properties with at least 10% down. Clarify caps and how many mortgages one borrower can reasonably hold.
• Know your VA entitlement status: Have your lender pull the COE at pre-approval. If you already have a VA loan, ask about second-tier entitlement and limits. After selling, send the settlement statement to reinstate entitlement.
• Favor marketable collateral: Unique homes or certain condos can be harder to finance in specialty programs. If you need zero down or no MI, be open to comparably priced properties with mainstream comps.
• Coordinate with your agent and lender on offer strategy: Ask your lender to call the listing agent after you submit. A clear plan and responsive team can differentiate you in a tight market.
• Keep communication off Google: If a question pops up on a weekend, call or text your lender. Online horror stories rarely match your facts and can lead to poor decisions.
• Revisit scenarios when life changes: New job, bonus structure, or added debt can change your approval. Refresh your numbers before touring or re-entering the market.
• After closing, save your documents: Keep the closing disclosure, note, and recorded deed. You will need them for taxes, refinances, entitlement reinstatement, or future sales.

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Bottom line: Arbor Home Loans, represented by Evan Rutherford, pairs local decision-making and a stable ops team with a broad program menu—so Richmond buyers can write stronger offers, solve timing gaps with bridge financing, and, where eligible, tap medical-professional or VA advantages with clarity and confidence.

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‍Profile credit: Insights provided by Evan Rutherford, Arbor Home Loans.