NoStart,
You look vaguely familiar.... Please feel free to call or email me. I may have a lender that would be happy to help.
John Beltramea
Broker/Owner
Elite GMAC Real Estate
Cedar Rapids
319-329-JOHN(5646)-cell
319-393-3190-office
john@elitegmacrealestate.com http://www.elitegmacrealestate.com

Have you checked out Rural Development loans? They have different criteria/qualifications and incent buyers to invest in towns with less than 20,000 people. North Liberty qualifies. If you want me to put you in contact with an expert, send me email. Good luck!

... my additional info got cut off, it seems. It should have read:

After living abroad for the better part of a decade, my wife and I are looking to buy our first home. Unfortunately, despite having a healthy (foreign) income, excellent credit, and respectable savings, plus a guaranteed income after we move (freelancing, albeit for the same company we work for abroad), we can't find any institution that will even consider lending to us. Does anyone have any advice?