:root{--primary:#0f172a;--secondary:#b91c1c;--accent:#f59e0b;--soft:#f8fafc;--muted:#64748b;--ink:#1e293b;}
body{font-family:Inter,system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;color:var(--ink);background:#ffffff;}
a{text-decoration:none;}
.topbar{background:var(--primary);color:#fff;font-size:.95rem;}
.topbar a{color:#fff;font-weight:700;}
.navbar{backdrop-filter:saturate(180%) blur(10px);background:rgba(255,255,255,.94)!important;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(15,23,42,.08);}
.navbar .nav-link{font-weight:600;color:var(--ink)!important;}
.hero{background:radial-gradient(circle at top right, rgba(245,158,11,.18), transparent 30%),linear-gradient(135deg,#fff7ed 0%,#ffffff 48%,#f8fafc 100%);padding:5rem 0 4rem;}
.hero-card{background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(15,23,42,.08);border-radius:28px;padding:2rem;box-shadow:0 18px 50px rgba(15,23,42,.08);}
.badge-soft{display:inline-flex;gap:.5rem;align-items:center;background:rgba(185,28,28,.08);color:var(--secondary);padding:.55rem .9rem;border-radius:999px;font-weight:700;font-size:.85rem;}
.section{padding:4.5rem 0;}
.section-alt{background:var(--soft);}
.card-clean{border:1px solid rgba(15,23,42,.08);border-radius:24px;box-shadow:0 10px 30px rgba(15,23,42,.04);height:100%;}
.icon-dot{width:3rem;height:3rem;border-radius:16px;display:grid;place-items:center;background:rgba(15,23,42,.06);color:var(--secondary);font-size:1.2rem;}
.metric{border-left:4px solid var(--accent);padding-left:1rem;}
.cta-band{background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--primary),#1e293b);color:#fff;border-radius:28px;padding:2.25rem;}
.btn-main{background:var(--secondary);border-color:var(--secondary);color:#fff;font-weight:700;padding:.9rem 1.2rem;border-radius:14px;}
.btn-main:hover{background:#991b1b;border-color:#991b1b;color:#fff;}
.btn-ghost{border:1px solid rgba(15,23,42,.14);color:var(--ink);font-weight:700;padding:.9rem 1.2rem;border-radius:14px;background:#fff;}
.page-hero{background:linear-gradient(180deg,#ffffff 0%,#f8fafc 100%);padding:3.5rem 0 2.5rem;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(15,23,42,.06);}
.footer{background:#0b1220;color:#cbd5e1;padding:3rem 0 2rem;}
.footer a{color:#e2e8f0;}
.small-muted{color:var(--muted);}
.list-check{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0;}
.list-check li{padding:.45rem 0 0 .05rem;}
.list-check i{color:var(--secondary);margin-right:.55rem;}
.article-content p{font-size:1.04rem;line-height:1.85;margin-bottom:1.15rem;}
@media (max-width: 991px){.hero{padding-top:3.5rem;}}

/* Apply Now shared CTA styles */
.navbar-nav .btn-primary[href*="lendingpad.com"],
.nav-links a.apply-now,
.links a.apply-now {
  --apply-accent: var(--red, var(--green, var(--primary, var(--accent, #155f4f))));
  --apply-accent-dark: var(--green-dark, var(--secondary, var(--ink, #0f4d41)));
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  min-height: 42px;
  padding: 10px 16px;
  border-radius: 8px;
  background: var(--apply-accent);
  border: 1px solid var(--apply-accent);
  color: #fff;
  font-weight: 900;
  line-height: 1.1;
  text-decoration: none;
  white-space: nowrap;
}
.navbar-nav .btn-primary[href*="lendingpad.com"]:hover,
.navbar-nav .btn-primary[href*="lendingpad.com"]:focus,
.nav-links a.apply-now:hover,
.nav-links a.apply-now:focus,
.links a.apply-now:hover,
.links a.apply-now:focus {
  background: var(--apply-accent-dark);
  border-color: var(--apply-accent-dark);
  color: #fff;
}
.apply-now-strip {
  --apply-accent: var(--red, var(--green, var(--primary, var(--accent, #155f4f))));
  --apply-panel: var(--ink, var(--primary, #172126));
  padding: clamp(28px, 5vw, 56px) 0;
  background: transparent;
}
.apply-now-strip .container {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: space-between;
  gap: 20px;
  padding: clamp(24px, 4vw, 36px);
  border-radius: 8px;
  background: var(--apply-panel);
  color: #fff;
  box-shadow: 0 18px 42px rgba(15, 23, 42, .14);
}
.apply-now-strip span {
  color: #fff;
  font-size: clamp(1.25rem, 2.2vw, 2rem);
  font-weight: 900;
  line-height: 1.12;
}
.apply-now-page-button {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  min-height: 46px;
  padding: 12px 20px;
  border-radius: 8px;
  background: var(--apply-accent);
  color: #fff;
  font-weight: 900;
  line-height: 1.1;
  text-decoration: none;
  white-space: nowrap;
}
.apply-now-page-button:hover,
.apply-now-page-button:focus {
  filter: brightness(.92);
  color: #fff;
}
@media (max-width: 640px) {
  .navbar-nav .btn-primary[href*="lendingpad.com"],
  .nav-links a.apply-now,
  .links a.apply-now {
    width: 100%;
    margin-top: 6px;
  }
  .apply-now-strip .container {
    display: grid;
    gap: 16px;
    text-align: left;
  }
  .apply-now-page-button {
    width: 100%;
  }
}