You sign your own paychecks. Let's talk about your home.
Being self-employed doesn't mean you should assume home financing is out of reach. It means you want someone reviewing your file who has seen self-employed income before and knows how to present it clearly.
Your career doesn't fit in a box. Your mortgage conversation shouldn't either.
Self-employed borrowers often come to Theresa after a frustrating start somewhere else. Nobody explained what they were looking at, or why one year of numbers was treated as the whole story. Her approach is to go through your documents with you, explain what a lender sees, and tell you where you stand before you fall in love with a house.
- Business owners
- Freelancers
- Contractors
- Entrepreneurs
- 1099 earners
"My income doesn't look like a W-2. Now what?"
Your paperwork simply looks different from someone with a salary and a couple of pay stubs. That changes how the income is reviewed, not whether you're worth reviewing.
How it's filed matters
Two business owners with identical revenue can land in completely different places depending on how their returns are filed.
Write-offs can change the picture
Deductions that lower your taxable income can change how a lender reads your file. It's one of the most common surprises.
History and changes get a closer look
Lenders want to see how the business earns, how long it has been earning, and how the money reaches you. Requirements depend on the program and the lender.
Same programs, reviewed your way
Self-employed clients use the same core programs everyone else does. The difference is in how the income is documented and reviewed.
Purchase financing
Theresa takes your purchase from the first conversation through closing and keeps you updated at each step.
FHA loans
A long-standing option many buyers, including business owners, ask about. She'll explain how it compares with the alternatives for you.
Refinancing
If your business has grown, or your current loan no longer matches your plans, it may be worth a look.
Not every self-employed borrower fits the same program. Which options may be available depends on your business, your documentation and the lender.
What helps Theresa help you
Every file is a little different, so she'll give you a list built for your situation rather than a generic checklist. In general, it helps to be ready with:
- Business and personal documentation showing how the business earns
- A sense of how long the business has been earning
- How the money reaches you from the business
- Identification
- Anything that explains a change in your numbers from one year to the next
From first call to closing
Theresa handles the coordination, follow-ups and lender communication while you keep running your business.
Talk it through
Share your work, your timeline and your goals. There's no cost to a conversation and no obligation.
Review your documents
She goes through your paperwork with you and explains what a lender will see.
Get pre-qualified
A clearer picture of where you stand, and an offer sellers and agents take seriously.
Through to closing
She stays with you from application to the closing table.
Frequently asked
Can I get a mortgage if I'm self-employed?
Plenty of self-employed people buy homes. What matters is how your income is documented and reviewed. Theresa will look at your situation with you and explain where you stand before you start house hunting.
How long do I need to have been in business?
It depends on the program and on how your business is structured and filed. Rather than guess, send Theresa your details and she'll tell you how your specific history is likely to be viewed.
Do write-offs hurt my chances?
Deductions that lower your taxable income can change how a lender reads your file. It's exactly the kind of thing worth discussing early with Theresa.
Can I refinance if I'm self-employed?
Yes, self-employed homeowners refinance too. Theresa will review your current loan and your goals and walk you through the options that may be available. More on refinancing.
What's the first step?
A conversation. From there, getting pre-qualified gives you a realistic picture of what you're working with and makes your offer stronger when you find the right house.
Ask the Huntress
Bring your questions, your tax situation and your timeline. A twenty-minute conversation beats a week of guessing.
(913) 705-0049