Today I want to provide you with a list of documents you'll be required to have in order to get pre-qualified for a home loan if you're going FHA, VA, or if you're self-employed.

With both FHA and conventional loans, you'll need the same documents:

The two most recent pay stubs for both the main borrower and the co-borrower if there is one
Tax returns for the past two years
Two recent bank statements
A copy of your driver's license
A copy of your social security card
If you're in the military or are a veteran and you qualify for a VA loan, the documents you'll need are slightly different:

Your latest Leave and Earnings Statement (if you're active duty)
Your certificate of eligibility
Your tax returns
Your most recent bank statements
"Remember that the first step in the home buying process to get pre-qualified - don't start by looking at homes or going to open houses."

If you're self-employed, there are two different options:

Two years of tax returns, which allows us to base your income on how much you declare as profit at the end of the year
Or:

Bank statements from the last 24 months, which allows us to determine your income based on the deposits you've made in the last two years.
Now that you know the documents needed, what do you do with them? Well, we can set up an appointment where we'll sit down face-to-face, or you can email or fax the documents to me.

Remember that the first step in the home buying process to get pre-qualified - don't start by looking at homes or going to open houses. You first need to determine what is the maximum amount you'd qualify for, what your options are, and how much your monthly payments would be at different price points. You only want to be looking at houses you can afford, and the only way to do that is to get pre-qualified.

If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment with me, please feel free to reach out. I'd love to discuss your situation and see how we can help you move forward.