Guides
Mortgages for self-employed and freelance income
Most mortgage advice online assumes a steady W-2 paycheck. If you're self-employed, freelance, or paid on 1099s, the rules are different — and often more confusing. These guides walk through how lenders actually see your income and what your options are.
Getting a mortgage when you're self-employed: what lenders actually check
How underwriters calculate qualifying income from tax returns, and the documents to have ready.
How much house can you afford on freelance or 1099 income?
Why your take-home pay and your qualifying income aren't the same number, and how to estimate affordability realistically.
Bank statement loans explained
An alternative mortgage option for self-employed borrowers whose tax returns understate their real income.
Can you get a mortgage with only 1 year of self-employment?
When lenders make exceptions to the two-year rule, and what strengthens a shorter track record.
Self-employed vs W-2: how debt-to-income is calculated differently
Why the same real-world income can produce very different DTI ratios depending on how it's documented.
How to document freelance income for a mortgage application
A practical checklist for gathering the paperwork lenders ask for, before you start house hunting.
S-corp vs sole proprietor: how business structure affects your mortgage
How lenders calculate qualifying income differently depending on how your business is set up.
How gig and seasonal income affects mortgage approval
Why consistency matters more than total income, and how to strengthen a variable-income application.
Tax write-offs vs mortgage qualifying: the self-employed tradeoff
Why the deductions that lower your tax bill also lower what you qualify for, and how to plan around it.
How to get pre-approved as a self-employed borrower
What to expect from pre-approval, how it differs from a W-2 process, and how to prepare.
Common mistakes self-employed buyers make when house hunting
The avoidable errors that most often delay or derail a self-employed buyer's mortgage.
Credit score tips for self-employed mortgage borrowers
Managing the credit risks unique to variable income, before you apply.
Refinancing when you're self-employed
What changes and what stays the same when you refinance with variable income.