Skip to main content

Our Blog

“Fix Your Credit” Is Lazy Advice
January 12, 2026
This article explains why credit scores are an incomplete measure of homeownership readiness, how the advice oversimplifies structural problems in underwriting, and what a more honest, ability-to-repay approach looks like for modern buyers.
How Cash Offers Really Win Homes
January 9, 2026
Cash offers don’t win because buyers are wealthier—they win because they remove uncertainty. This article explains what sellers actually prioritize, why financed offers feel risky even for strong buyers, and how structural constraints prevent most capable buyers from accessing the advantages cash provides.
Why We Buy Homes First—Instead of Issuing Loans
January 7, 2026
This article explains why Doorly buys homes first instead of issuing traditional mortgages. By reordering the homebuying process and separating ownership from legacy lending constraints, Doorly enables real ownership from day one.
What “Ability to Repay” Actually Means (And Why It’s Misused)
January 2, 2026
This article explains what Ability to Repay is meant to measure, how it’s commonly misapplied in modern mortgage underwriting, and why evaluating real earning power and cash flow leads to better outcomes for both borrowers and lenders.
Almost Everyone Knows Someone Who Should Own a Home—But Can’t
December 29, 2025
Almost everyone knows someone who should own a home—but can’t. This essay explores how outdated lending systems turn an access problem into a social one, and how Doorly is building a better path forward.
Introducing the Ability-First Mortgage™
December 26, 2025
The Ability-First Mortgage™ redefines how home loans are evaluated by focusing on real earning power and financial capacity—not outdated credit rules. Built for modern workers, AFM creates a smarter, more inclusive path to immediate homeownership.
The Myth of the “Unqualified Borrower”
December 24, 2025
The label “unqualified borrower” often has less to do with risk and more to do with outdated mortgage models. This article explores why income variability isn’t the same as instability, how traditional underwriting misses real signals of reliability, and why millions of capable buyers are excluded from homeownership.
Why We Didn’t Start as a Mortgage Company
December 22, 2025
Most mortgage denials aren’t caused by bad underwriting—they’re caused by a system designed to reward conformity. By putting real estate first and financing second, Doorly rebuilds the foundation of homeownership so ownership is no longer gated by outdated lending structures.
“No Minimum FICO” Sounds Great — Here’s Why It Doesn’t Mean What You Think
December 20, 2025
Fannie Mae’s announcement that it’s removing the 620 minimum FICO score made waves — but the reality is far more nuanced. In this piece, we break down what actually changed, why many borrowers will still face the same barriers, and how Doorly approaches homeownership differently by focusing on real ability to repay instead of arbitrary credit cutoffs.
The $1.3 Trillion Problem: How Traditional Lending Fails Modern Workers
December 19, 2025
In 2024, 36% of American workers were self-employed, freelance, or part of the gig economy. And yet, the mortgage system that determines who gets to own a home hasn’t meaningfully changed since 1975. See how Doorly is helping more renters become owners.
Credit Scores Were Never Meant to Decide Homeownership
Credit scores were never meant to determine access to homeownership, yet they’ve become one of the most powerful gatekeepers in housing finance. This article explains what FICO was originally designed to measure, how it evolved into a blunt decision tool, and why relying on a single score often excludes capable buyers.