You may think
that since you’re self-employed, getting approved for a mortgage will be next
to impossible. It’s challenging to show that you have a steady stream of work
with a consistent income. How can you should the lender that you’ll be able to
afford your monthly mortgage payments if your income is different every month?
Just because
you’re self-employed, that should stop you from trying to get a mortgage. In fact, many self-employed
people have no problem getting a mortgage, as long as they are prepared with the correct documents.
We help break
down what you all need to get a self-employed mortgage, especially if you’re
a first-time buyer.
Use a Mortgage Calculator
It’s never a bad
idea to get an estimate of how much you can afford before you start to think of buying a house seriously. One way of doing that is by using a mortgage
payment calculator, like the one from Fidelity
Mortgage.
A mortgage
payment calculator helps give you an understanding of what you’re monthly
payments would look like according to the price of a particular house, the
interest rates, and what you have for a down payment. You’ll be able to see if
you actually can afford a mortgage, or if you need to hold off for a little while longer.
Prove Your Work History
Work history is essential for anyone applying for a mortgage,
especially for someone who is self-employed. You want to prove to the bank or
your lender that you’ve had consistent work for the last couple of years (aim
for at least two years) and that you
still have work to keep you afloat.
Gather all the necessary documents that show what you do for work, who your
clients are, and how long you’ve been working with them.
Gather Financial Statements
Just as your
work history is important to show that
you have a job, so too is your financial history. Your finances will tell the
lender whether or not you can afford a mortgage and how much. Any financial
statements you have (tax returns, pay stubs, anything else you use to keep
track of your income when self-employed), gather them along with your work
history to submit to your lender.
Watch Out for Tax Deductions
If you’re
self-employed looking to buy a house, you may be surprised to hear that all of
those tax deductions you benefit from can actually
hurt you when you’re applying for a mortgage. That is because each tax
deduction you use actually lowers your taxable income.
When lenders
look at your yearly statements, they look at your after-deduction income. So,
if you claim quite a bit of deduction
with your business, be prepared for it to
significantly lower your income in the eyes of the lender.
Have a Sizeable Down Payment
If you want to help your chances of getting
approved for a mortgage even more, save
up a sizeable down payment. The higher your
down payment is, the lower of a mortgage you need to pay off the rest of
the house. This means that you’ll also
have a lower monthly mortgage payment. It just helps to make your house more affordable in the eyes of the lender
