Non-QM isn't unregulated. It still follows Ability-to-Repay rules — but with different documentation or structure. Bank statement, 1099-only, P&L-only, asset depletion, ITIN, foreign national, and DSCR programs are all non-QM.
Non-QM exists for borrowers who are genuinely creditworthy but don't fit the narrow agency box: self-employed with aggressive write-downs, investors scaling past the Fannie limit, retirees with assets but low documented income, recent credit-event recoveries, or non-US-credit foreign nationals.
Non-QM rates run 1–2.5% above comparable conventional, reflecting the non-agency nature. For borrowers who can't close conventionally, it's typically the difference between "loan closes" and "no deal."
