Getting an Investment Home loan when Self-employed

You may have heard of how it’s more difficult to get a loan if you are self-employed, that you will have to pay higher rates, that you can only get a low doc home loan, or that your borrowing limit will only reach a max of 80% of the entire purchase price.

Fortunate for you, the above statements are myths that are about to be busted.

A bank is a financial institution that does not discriminate between a self-employed individual and a salary earner. The paramount point of proof is the ability to show the lender that you are able to service your investment loan.

So long as you are able to evidence your ability to meet your repayments, a lender will treat you the same as the next person in line. In fact, if your business is running on a strong annual streak, you may experience great benefits being offered at the table when applying for an investment loan.

When it comes to assessing an application for a loan, a lender will typically evaluate a salary earner based on their most recent pay slips, their employment contract, their bank account statements, personal tax returns, other documents supporting sources of income, and details of their monthly expenses.

Similarly, when it comes to self-employed individuals, a lender will want to see your business’ tax returns as well as any other documents supporting sources of business income. Based on your business’ tax returns, the amount you are allowed to borrow will be determined. In some cases, self-employed individuals have been able to borrow up to 95% of the entire purchase price due to their income.

Finally, it is important to understand that a low doc home loan is not the only option a self-employed individual has when it comes to taking out an investment loan. Low doc loans are often restricted with low borrowing limits, bad interest rates, and excessive fees.

Self-employed individuals are able to apply for standard self-employed home loans, investment loans, small business loans, and much more.

What lenders look for in self-employed applications for investment home loans

Generally, a lender will require evidence of a business’ tax returns for the past 1 to 2 years of operation, proof that you have had your ABN for at least 2 years, evidence of profit being made each year, and evidence of individual payment to yourself from your business.

The most prominent point is to be able to show consistent income evidencing your ability to meet your repayments. In the event that your taxable income fluctuated sporadically throughout the 2 years, a lender may assess it based on averages.

Where you are able to explain to the lender any down times of your business, you should do so if it justifies the down time. For example, if your business is relatively new, it is understandable that the first few months of any startup company can be rocky and uncertain. If this is reflected in your returns, you can explain this to your lender to regard the down time as an anomaly.

As a business owner, you already demonstrate the ability to understand how the small details matter. This understanding is no different when choosing the right investment home loan provider for you and being aware of your borrowing power can prove to be an extremely useful asset.

Article provided by Positive Lending Solutions

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