Conventional lenders plug your W-2 into software and out pops an approval. When there’s no W-2, the software declines and most loan officers simply move on. NMHL underwrites by hand. We open your actual bank statements, highlight every cash deposit, then cross-reference with receipts, invoices, or even a simple ledger you keep in a notebook.

Our investors — regional credit unions, insurance funds, and community-development agencies — buy these ‘story’ loans because they know Main-Street workers are statistically safer borrowers than over-leveraged tech employees. In 2023 NMHL closed 1,400+ bank-statement loans with a 60-day delinquency rate under 0.8%, better than the national conventional average.

1. Open one business or personal checking account dedicated to your cash job. Ask the bank for deposit slips with duplicate copies.
2. Deposit 100% of what you earn — no pocket money. If you need spending cash, withdraw it later; the deposit paper trail is what counts.
3. Keep a simple log: date, source, amount. A Google Sheet works. If you mow lawns, jot addresses; if you bartend, note shift times.
4. After 60 days, schedule a free NMHL consultation. We’ll run your credit, calculate qualifying income, and issue a pre-approval letter you can take to Realtors.
5. Continue the deposit pattern unchanged until closing. Any sudden drop or spike will trigger questions, so consistency is your friend.

María, Houston TX — house cleaner, paid $550 cash per home, five homes a week. We averaged $11,700 monthly deposits over 18 months, qualified her for a $275k FHA renovation loan, and she bought the duplex she once cleaned. Her payment is $300 below the rent she used to pay.

Darnell, Charlotte NC — line cook paid nightly in cash plus tips. Bank statements showed $4,800 average deposits but tax returns only $22k. NMHL’s 12-month bank-statement program approved him for $245k with 10% down; his mom gifted the down payment from her 401(k) withdrawal, tax-free for first-time buyers.

Linh & Minh, San Diego CA — mobile nail technicians operating out of a garage. 100% cash, no business license. We used personal bank statements, a simple profit-and-loss certified by their CPA, and closed a $525k condo with 15% down through our Non-QM investor at 7.125% — still cheaper than the $3,800 rent they were paying.

Expect rates 0.5–1% above conventional; on a $300k loan that’s roughly $120-$240 extra per month. Add a one-time 0.25% lender fee ($750 on $300k) because manual underwriting takes human time. You’ll still pay standard third-party fees — appraisal ($550), title insurance, escrow — but NMHL caps its origination fee at $1,495 for cash-income loans, well below the 1–2 points some private lenders charge.

Mortgage insurance works differently: bank-statement loans over 80% LTV use lender-paid MI rolled into rate, so you won’t see a separate MI line item. Closing costs can be gift-funded; we accept cash gifts from family or even close friends with a simple letter. Finally, you remain eligible for refinance into a conventional loan once you file two years of tax returns reflecting your true income — many clients drop their rate by 1% within 36 months.

You’ve already done the hardest part — earning the money. The only thing left is packaging it so lenders can see what your landlord, your family, and you already know: you’re good for the payment. Upload your last 12 months of bank statements here and book a 15-minute call with an NMHL cash-income specialist. We’ll tell you exactly which loan, which price range, and which down-payment strategy gets you keys in your hand — usually within 30 days. No judgment, no jargon, just a clear path from cash in your pocket to equity in your own home.