How Do Lenders Approve Loans for a House Based on Income?
Usually, lenders will ask for two years of employment history for you to pre-qualify you for a home loan, but they also take a lot of other factors into account when approving your loan pre approval. Lenders need to know that you can and will repay the loan you take out on your home.
Lenders also take into account things like credit score, credit history, and debt to income ratio. They’ll also look at your savings and what you plan to put down as a down payment. All of these factors can affect your loan approval amount.
Since lenders approve your loan based on several factors, you don’t necessarily have to have a long employment history, especially if you are a high earner. If you have a high paying, in demand job, you might also be able to get a loan even if you’re in between jobs or just starting a new job.
Your Debt to Income Ratio
Your debt to income ratio is one of the most important aspects of your loan application. As the name implies, this is the ratio of your monthly debts to your monthly income. The more debt you have - like a car loan, student loans, another mortgage, and so on - the higher your debt to income ratio is.
On the other hand, the higher your income is, the lower your debt to income ratio is. If you have a high income and low debt, you’re in the best position to afford a home. However, if you income and debt are low, you might still qualify for a home loan.
Do You Need a Job to Afford a House?
In short: not necessarily. There are several circumstances where someone might not need a job to buy a home. If you are retired and receive payouts from your retirement accounts, if you are independently wealthy and don’t need a home loan, and so on. If you don’t have a job but think you can afford a home, talk to your real estate agent about your options.
Conclusion
You don’t necessarily have to have a job to afford a home, but it can help your lender approve your loan application. If you don’t have a job, talk to your real estate agent about your options for buying a home.