FORT MYERS MORTGAGE BROKER
Self-Employed Mortgages in Southwest Florida
Yes, self-employed borrowers can get a mortgage. What matters is how your income is documented, and there’s more than one way to do that. Ryan Meyer, a Fort Myers mortgage broker who works closely with business owners and real estate investors, helps you compare the options before you apply.
- Options for business owners, 1099 contractors and commission earners
- Traditional and alternative documentation programs
Talk With Ryan
Let’s talk about how you earn and what you’re buying.
Your Options at a Glance
- Traditional (full documentation) loans: income is shown with tax returns and related records. See Conventional Mortgages.
- Bank statement loans: an alternative documentation program that looks at deposits instead of tax returns. See Bank Statement Loans.
- No-doc and alternative documentation mortgages: other ways of documenting income, such as a profit and loss statement. See No-Doc & Alt-Doc Mortgages.
- DSCR loans for rental property: qualification centers on the property’s rental income. See DSCR Loans.
Program availability, guidelines and pricing vary. Eligibility is determined at application.
Why Your Tax Return May Tell Only Part of the Story
Business owners often lower their taxable income with legitimate write-offs. That helps at tax time, but it can make income look lower on a traditional application. Alternative documentation programs may look at other records instead. Ryan reviews how you actually earn and explains which paths may fit, along with the trade-offs.
1099 Contractors and Commission Earners
If you’re paid on a 1099 or mostly by commission, the conversation is the same: how is your income documented, and how consistent is it? Ryan reviews your situation and explains which programs may apply.
What to Gather Before You Talk With Ryan
- Your two most recent tax returns, if you have them
- Recent personal and business bank statements
- A list of your monthly debts
- How long you’ve been self-employed and how you’re paid
- Details on the property you’re considering, if you have one
You don’t need everything to start the conversation.
Buying a Second Home or Rental Property
Some programs can be used for second homes or investment property. See Second Home Mortgages, Investment Property Loans and DSCR Loans.
How It Works With Ryan
- A conversation about your goals and how you earn
- A review of your documents
- A side-by-side look at the programs that may fit
- Pre-approval when you’re ready
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Possibly. Some programs look at bank deposits or other documentation instead of taxable income. Eligibility depends on the program and your full financial picture, and Ryan can review your situation.
A full-documentation loan uses tax returns and similar records to show income. A bank statement loan is an alternative documentation program that looks at deposits instead.
It depends on the program and the lender. Talk with Ryan about your history before you apply.
Ryan reviews 1099 and commission income the same way he reviews business income: by looking at how it’s documented and which programs may fit.
It depends on the program. Some use business statements and some use personal statements. Program guidelines vary.
Some programs can be. For rental property, a DSCR loan may qualify you based on the property’s rental income.
Let’s Talk About Your Next Move
Self-Employed and Ready to Buy?
Talk with Ryan Meyer about how you earn and which mortgage options may fit.
Prefer to call? 239-910-4980
Important information about this loan program
This page explains how this type of financing generally works. It is general information, not an offer or a commitment to lend. Eligibility, loan amounts, down payment requirements, interest rates, annual percentage rates (APR), closing costs and other fees, mortgage insurance and repayment terms depend on your credit, income, assets, the property and the lender’s underwriting, and program guidelines can change without notice. Mortgage loans may be arranged through third party providers. This website does not quote rates or APRs. Your actual rate, APR, payments and costs will be provided in the lender’s written loan disclosures. Not every borrower qualifies, and approval is not guaranteed. Licensing and company information appears at the bottom of this page.