Mortgage guidance / Ed Parcaut
You know what you earn. The task is documenting it in the way a lender reads it.
Self-employed income is not harder to finance, it is harder to present. Write-offs that help you in April can work against you on an application, and the last two years of returns often tell a different story than your bank balance does.
The earlier you look at how your income will be documented, the more room there is to plan. That is a conversation to have before the house hunt, not during it.
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Send your situation and Ed will tell you what a lender will need.
Articles in this collection
A healthy business does not always translate into easy mortgage qualifying. Learn how lenders evaluate tax returns, write-offs, ownership structures, and bank statements, plus what to organize before you start shopping for a home.
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Your mortgage application is not the finish line for your credit. Learn which financial moves can complicate closing, how to handle unavoidable changes, and when to talk with your lender before taking action.
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Self-employed income can take more work to document, but homeownership is still within reach. Learn what lenders review, which records to gather, and how to prepare before you start shopping for a home.
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Car loans, credit cards and student debt can affect how much room you have for a mortgage payment. Learn how lenders look at monthly obligations, compare two buyer examples and weigh paying down debt against keeping cash for your purchase.
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A mortgage calculator is a starting point, not a spending plan. Learn how lenders evaluate your finances, account for ownership costs, and build a home-buying budget that leaves room for everyday life and future goals.
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Mortgage pre-approval helps you understand your budget, strengthen your offer and spot financing issues before they disrupt a purchase. Learn how it differs from pre-qualification, what to prepare and why it belongs before your home search.
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Investors are part of the housing market, but they are not all Wall Street firms, and they do not compete everywhere. Learn where investor competition is strongest and how to prepare a more competitive offer without paying cash.
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Are you prepping to buy your first home? If so, one of the steps you should take early on is making sure you’re financially ready for your purchase. Here are just a few of the financial fundamentals you’ll need to focus on as you set out to buy a home. Build Your Credit Your credit […]
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This is education, not a loan approval or a rate quote. Your own options depend on your situation.
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