Money Matters
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Salary change and mortgage

SO and I are currently saving up to buy a house. We are planning on renewing our lease for one more year, so we would like to be able to buy by August 2015. SO has been working for the same company for about three years although he was promoted about one year ago to a higher position. I have been self employed for a few years, and in September I am expecting a huge salary jump as I will be transitioning from working part time to full time. I am probably looking at making five or six times the amount that I'm making now. My question is if we go to get approved for a mortgage next summer I know that they are going to want to see my taxes for a few years, and they will see that over the year I've jumped to making a lot more. Will this be a problem for getting a loan, or since it will have been almost a year at that point will it be okay?

Re: Salary change and mortgage

  • I would think you will be ok. People change jobs & get higher salaries. I wouldn't be surprised if they asked you about it & then you can tell them that you went from Part time to Full time and then it will make sense for them.

  • No it probably won't be a problem.  Just tell your loan officer, and they ought to credit it.  I work with a bunch of people who bought houses while studying for the bar before they had any income at all.  They just showed their offer letter to the bank and paid their new mortgage out of student loans over the summer.  Not the best plan ever, but it happens a lot.

    What you're describing is present money.  They should have no issues with it.
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  • emily1004emily1004 member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited April 2014
    We just got through the loan process. We closed a week ago. My H and I have impeccable credit so that helped big time. Also we have a very low debt to income ratio, this also helped.  I work part-time and H is an independent contractor. We've made more money every year for the past eight years. 

    They wanted a month of pay stubs, two months of bank statements, two years of tax returns with the W2's. Plus proof that we had the money for the down payment in our account. We did not have to show them all of our assets because we had enough for DP in one account. Show the bank, only what they need to see and what, if anything they ask for it. They do NOT need to know every asset you have. As long as you have the DP, good credit and limited debt, you should be just fine.
  • Do you plan to finance with both names?
    IF you are still self employed, you may need to meet higher lending standards - I recommend talking with a local lender to get advice on what they require.  Talking if free, take advantage and arm yourself with information.
    Make sure you have 20% down, closing costs, start up costs, repair/renovation costs/decorating/furniture/appliances, outdoor items, tools, etc --AND still have a good emergency fund in place after all of that.
    Eliminate consumer debt if possible or keep it to a very minimum possible.  A low debt/income ratio will help/
    You do not mention marriage plans, but I am not a proponent of buying with a partner to whom you are not married.  Finance by yourself or Finance with SO alone (and pay him rent) - makes for a much easier situation should things not work out romantically.

  • When we got pre approved they never looked at taxes. They looked at a few paychecks and about 3 months of our bank accounts.
  • Mom987 said:
    When we got pre approved they never looked at taxes. They looked at a few paychecks and about 3 months of our bank accounts.
    Just FYI, the pre-approval process is a lot less involved than the actual mortgage loan.
  • Having one being self-employed means showing more information to show continuing increase in that business.  Also, if you buy a house that will work on just one income it will make the approval process a lot better.
  • emily1004 said:


    Mom987 said:

    When we got pre approved they never looked at taxes. They looked at a few paychecks and about 3 months of our bank accounts.

    Just FYI, the pre-approval process is a lot less involved than the actual mortgage loan.

    I probably said it wrong then because I do have a mortgage.
  • Having worked as a loan officer, I can tell you that mortgages for self-employed people are reviewed much more stringently by underwriters than people who are employed with "traditional employers." You will have to provide more information and more paper work. I would prepare to get those documents ready. Also, some mortgage lenders will not lend to self-employed people unless they have been fully self employed for at least a few years.

    I am in favor of budgeting a home cost on one income only (in this case, your SO's). This way if the other income falls through, or someone decides to be a stay-at-home parent, you have that flexibility. Or, the 2nd income all goes toward savings only. This is what my DH and I did. We bought our home based only on his income. Before kids, any income I earned went into savings. His income paid the expenses.

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