Answers for self-employed buyers

Can I Get a Mortgage With 1099 Income and No W-2?

1099 contractors and freelancers often get treated like a credit risk by conventional lenders, even with strong income. Here's why — and what actually works instead.

Bank Statement Loans vs. Community Mortgage: What's the Difference?

Both are built for self-employed buyers who can't use tax returns to qualify — but they calculate your ability to borrow in very different ways. Here's how to tell them apart.

How Self-Employed Business Owners Can Compete for a Luxury Home Purchase

In a competitive luxury market, financing uncertainty can lose you a home before you even make an offer. Here's how to walk in as strong a buyer as anyone else.

What Credit Score Do You Need for a Jumbo Loan Without Tax Returns?

Large loan amounts without income documentation lean heavily on credit. Here's the minimum, and why a higher score buys you more than just a better rate.

How Much Down Payment Do You Need for a $1–2.5M Home With No Income Documentation?

Without income to lean on, down payment and credit do more of the work. Here's how the math actually breaks down at different credit tiers.

DSCR Loan vs. Community Mortgage: Which One Actually Applies to You?

These two Non-QM loan types get lumped together constantly, but they solve different problems for different buyers. Here's the real distinction.

What Are Mortgage Reserves, and How Much Will You Need?

Reserves trip up a lot of buyers who've never heard the term before an underwriter mentions it. Here's what it means and how much to actually plan for.

New Business, No 2-Year History? How Business Owners Still Qualify for a Mortgage

Most conventional loans want two years of self-employment history before they'll count your income at all. Here's why that rule exists — and what to do if you don't meet it yet.

Non-QM Loans Explained: Pros, Cons, and Who They're Actually For

Non-QM' gets thrown around a lot in mortgage marketing. Here's what it actually means, honestly weighed — not just the sales pitch.

Why Self-Employed Buyers Get Denied for a Mortgage (and What Actually Works)

If a bank told you your income 'doesn't qualify' even though your business does well, here's what actually happened — and the loan programs built for exactly this situation.