Being your own boss certainly has its advantages, from setting your hours to doing what you love with the potential to make more money. But it’s not without its difficulties as well. One of those challenges is trying to get a home loan. Most conventional home loans require pay stubs and W-2s, which self-employed borrowers cannot provide.
There are ways, however, for self-employed workers to get mortgage loans. One solution that has become a popular choice in recent years offered by some lending institutions is a bank statement loan. In this program, lenders look at the borrower’s bank statements over a certain period to determine if they can produce enough income to warrant a loan approval. Like any loan, the lender wants to ensure that the borrower can pay back the loan once approved. As long as you can show you have a good track record of paying off debts and have maintained a steady income, you may qualify. There are usually specific minimum requirements, such as credit score, loan amount, debt-to-income ratio, and a continuous self-employment time frame, usually two years. If you are using personal bank statements, you have to have at least 25% ownership of the company, and if you are using company bank statements, you will need to own at least 50% of the company.
In addition to bank statements, lenders may require other documents, including:
- Business license
- Balance sheet
- Year-to-date profit and loss statement
- Rent or mortgage payment canceled checks
- Additional income
- Earnings statement
Another home loan option available for self-employed workers is a 1099 mortgage loan. Instead of using tax documents to qualify, borrowers can use their 1099 earning statements to show work income. Qualifications for a 1099 mortgage loan include:
- The last six months of 1099 income, less if 1099 income is from the most recent employer.
- Documentation of year-to-date income
- 680 minimum credit score
- Minimum 10% down with mortgage insurance approval
Just as with any home loan preparation, you want to put yourself in the best position to be approved for a bank statement loan or 1099 mortgage loan. Some things you should do before applying include:
- Pay down as much debt to improve your credit score
- Lower your debt-to-income ratio to 43% or less
- Save for as much of a down payment as possible – at least 10%
- Maintain clean, easy to follow business records
- Work with a lender who has experience with non-QM mortgage loans
To find out if you qualify for a bank statement loan or 1099 mortgage loan, reach out to the experts at NASB at 855-921-4921, or click here for more information.
