01
Document everything for two years.
W-2s, 1099s, paystubs, K-1s, bank deposits. The mortgage file lives or dies on documentation. Get a folder. Get a scanner. Make it boring.
Pillar I · Income · DTI mastery
Stability beats
salary jumps.
Lenders count what they can verify, weighted by how stable it looks. Two years of the same W-2 reads stronger than a 30% raise three months ago. Here's what actually moves the income pillar — and the DTI math nobody walks you through.
· Four moves
Move the income story.
Before they pull a file.
02
Don't change jobs in the 6 months before applying.
Job hops trigger probationary income rules. If a change is coming, talk to your LO BEFORE the offer. Many situations can be structured around — but only with notice.
03
Pay down high-payment debt, not low-payment debt.
DTI math is about MONTHLY payments, not balances. A $300/mo car payment hurts DTI more than $20K of student loans on income-driven repayment. Pay down what's loud.
04
Self-employed? Coordinate accountant + LO.
Aggressive write-offs save tax dollars but shrink qualifying income. If you're 12-24 months from buying, run both scenarios with your CPA. Cleaner P&L = bigger loan.
· DTI math
Worked example.
$8K gross income.
- Gross monthly income
- $8,000
- Car payment
- $450
- Student loan (income-driven)
- $120
- Credit card minimums
- $180
- Total monthly debt (existing)
- $750
- Max conventional DTI (43%)
- $3,440 total monthly
- Max housing payment (PITI)
- $2,690
43% conventional DTI ceiling. FHA goes to 50% with compensating factors. VA uses residual income (different math, often more forgiving). Each loan type has its own ceiling — the right LO maps you to the right product.
· The pillars connect
Income leans on
the other two.
Pillar II — Credit
Credit score affects your rate. Lower rate = lower PITI = more room within DTI. The pillars compound.
Open page →
Pillar III — Assets
Down payment reduces loan amount, which reduces PITI, which improves DTI. Stronger assets = stronger income picture.
Open page →
Three Pillars assessment
See how income, credit, and assets interact in your specific file. The full diagnostic.
Open page →
Income is the foundation.
Get it documented right.
Five minutes. We map your real DTI + which loan products fit best — including the non-QM lanes most LOs don't mention.