The Self-Employed Buyer's Guide to Getting a Mortgage

If you're self-employed, you've probably heard it's hard to get a mortgage. It's not impossible — it's just different. Lenders want to see stable, documentable income, and the way you prove it isn't a W-2.

How lenders look at self-employed income

Most lenders average your net (after-deduction) income over the last two years from your tax returns. The catch: the write-offs that lower your tax bill also lower the income a lender will count. Plan for that before you apply.

What you'll typically need

• Two years of personal (and often business) tax returns
• Year-to-date profit & loss statement
• Business license or CPA letter confirming self-employment
• Recent bank statements

Bank-statement and non-QM loans

If your tax returns understate your real cash flow, ask about bank-statement loans, which qualify you on deposits instead of tax returns, and other non-QM programs designed for business owners. Not every lender offers these — which is exactly why shopping multiple brokers matters.

Set yourself up to win

Keep business and personal finances separate, avoid large unexplained deposits before applying, and don't take on new debt. Then let brokers who specialize in self-employed borrowers compete — the right one knows which lender will treat your income fairly.