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Non abbiamo i soldi; oltretutto, ottenere un mutuo è difficile.

Non abbiamo i soldi; oltretutto, ottenere un mutuo è difficile.
We don't have the money; besides, obtaining a mortgage is difficult.
From Lesson 337:Adding information (inoltre, per di più)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non abbiamo i soldi; oltretutto, ottenere un mutuo è difficile.

How does oltretutto change the tone compared to just using inoltre?
While inoltre neutrally adds information, oltretutto carries a sense of escalation or exasperation. It translates closest to 'on top of that' or 'besides.' It emphasizes that the second point makes a bad situation even worse and fully closes the argument.
Why is the infinitive ottenere used here instead of a gerund to match the English 'obtaining'?
In Italian, when an action is the subject of a clause, you must use the infinitive form of the verb. The Italian gerund (ottenendo) is only used to show how or when an action is happening, never as a noun.
Is mutuo used for any kind of loan?
No, un mutuo specifically refers to a mortgage or a very large, long-term bank loan, usually for real estate. If you were talking about a smaller, general personal loan, you would use the word un prestito.
Could we drop the article and just say Non abbiamo soldi?
Yes, dropping the article is perfectly fine and means 'we do not have money' in a general sense. However, keeping the definite article (i soldi) is extremely common in everyday Italian, and here it subtly implies they lack the specific funds required for this purchase.

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