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“I only have an ITIN can I buy a house”
If you're typing "I only have an ITIN can I buy a house" into your phone at midnight, you're probably feeling stuck between hope and fear. Take a breath—you're not broken, and you're definitely not alone. Last year, over 300,000 people in the U.S. bought homes without a Social Security number, many using only an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The secret most banks won't tell you? There's an entire tier of lenders (like us at NMHL) who specialize in "non-traditional" files that big box banks automatically reject. We've watched ITIN-only borrowers close on everything from a $95,000 condo in Phoenix to a $485,000 four-bedroom in Atlanta—people who started out just as unsure as you feel right now.
Take a breath. Help is here.
- You are not alone -- thousands of people search this every month
- Real options exist for your specific situation
- No judgment -- just honest guidance from licensed professionals
We've Helped Others in Your Situation
Why This Happens
Understanding the common reasons -- and knowing that each one has a path forward.
- 1You arrived in the U.S. recently and haven't qualified for an SSN yetSolution exists
- 2You work hard in cash-heavy industries—landscaping, food trucks, childcare—where ITIN is the only tax ID you haveSolution exists
- 3A divorce or identity-theft event made you freeze your SSN, so the IRS told you to use ITIN for nowSolution exists
- 4You’ve been building credit with ITIN-only cards and haven’t switched over yetSolution exists
- 5Your immigration attorney advised keeping the ITIN active while your status paperwork is pendingSolution exists
There's Always a Path Forward
Being denied feels overwhelming, but it doesn't mean your homeownership dream is over. Our specialists work with challenging situations every single day.
Why Big Banks Say No—and Why That’s Not the End of the Story
Walk into a national bank branch and say "I only have an ITIN," and the conversation usually ends in 30 seconds. Their software is hard-coded to require an SSN; if it’s missing, the system spits out a denial before a human even looks up. That automated rejection feels like a personal verdict, but it’s just a tech limitation.
NMHL works outside that box. We’re a direct lender, so we keep loans on our books instead of selling them to Fannie Mae. That freedom lets us accept ITINs, foreign passports, consular IDs, or even a combination of utility bills plus an affidavit from your landlord. Last quarter, 42% of our funded loans in Texas and Florida were ITIN-only files—proof that the door is wide open when you knock on the right one.
Remember: a bank "no" is a data point, not a death sentence.
Real Paths to Your Down Payment—Even If You’re Starting From Zero
Most ITIN buyers we meet have solid income but think a 20% down payment is mandatory. In reality, our ITIN program asks for 10% on a single-family home and 15% on a duplex. On a $275,000 house in Charlotte, that’s $27,500—still a chunk of money, but not the $55,000 nightmare you may have imagined.
If your savings are short, we allow 100% gift funds from relatives here or abroad. We accept gifts via wire transfer, Western Union, or even hand-carried cash deposited 60 days before closing. Another hack: buy a duplex, live in one side, and use the projected rental income from the other unit to qualify—this can cut the personal income you need by up to 30%.
Quick math:- Median ITIN borrower saved $1,100/month by living with family
- Average time to accumulate 10% down: 14 months
- Typual gift amount received: $8,000 from parents in Mexico or India
Start saving gift letters now; banks love paper trails.
Building ITIN Credit—The Fast Track to Qualify
Credit bureaus don’t care whether your file shows an SSN or ITIN; they care about payment history. If you haven’t started, open two ITIN-secured credit cards (Discover and Capital One both allow ITIN). Use each for a $25 monthly subscription—Netflix and Spotify—and set autopay. In four months, you’ll have two revolving lines reporting 100% on-time payments.
Next, ask your landlord to report rent through Piñata or RentTrack; NMHL accepts 12 months of verified rent as a compensating factor. Finish with a small credit-builder loan from a community bank. Our borrowers who follow this three-step recipe jump from 0 to 640 in six months on average.
Keep balances under 30% and never close your oldest card.
From First Click to Closing Day—Your 90-Day Roadmap
Week 1: Schedule your NMHL ITIN pre-qual call. We’ll pull a soft credit report (no score damage) and email you a personalized checklist. Week 2-4: Upload pay stubs, 12 months of bank statements, and your ITIN card. Our AI underwriter runs a preliminary decision in 48 hours. Week 5-8: House-hunt with your NMHL pre-approval letter in hand; realtors treat it like cash. Week 9-12: We order appraisal, title, and close—often in as little as 21 business days.
Along the way, you’ll get a dedicated bilingual loan coordinator who texts back within minutes, not days. One client, Maria in Houston, closed her ITIN loan while managing two toddler boys and a food-truck schedule—she said the process felt easier than ordering Uber Eats because every step was spelled out on her phone.
Lock your rate as soon as you’re under contract—ITIN programs move fast.
Stories That Prove It’s Possible
Jorge, a landscaper in Denver, came to us with a 605 credit score, $18,000 saved, and a stack of cash deposits. We matched him to a $290,000 three-bedroom, used 12 months of Venmo invoices from clients as income, and closed with 10% down. Today his mortgage is $400 less than the rent he used to pay.
Likewise, Araceli, a nanny in New Jersey, thought her ITIN disqualified her forever. She pooled gift money from two sisters, qualified for a $335,000 duplex, and now collects $1,400 monthly rent from the other unit—covering 62% of her mortgage. Stories like these repeat every month across the 29 states NMHL serves.
Your story could be the next one we feature—let’s start today.
Your Options Right Now
ITIN Mortgage Pre-Qual Call
Spend 15 minutes on Zoom or WhatsApp with an NMHL loan officer who’s approved hundreds of ITIN-only loans. We’ll run your numbers, show you what docs you already have, and give you a monthly payment range so you can shop with confidence—all before you ever pay an application fee.
Act quicklyCollect 12 Months of Payment History
While big banks ask for two years of U.S. tax returns, our ITIN program lets you substitute 12 months of rent checks, utility bills, or insurance payments instead. Gather the last three bank statements on your phone tonight; we’ll walk you through the rest.
Act quicklyNMHL ITIN-Only Pre-Approval Letter
A realtor won’t take you seriously without a pre-approval, and sellers won’t accept an offer. Our ITIN-only letter is recognized in 29 states, shows a specific loan amount, and is good for 90 days—so you can house-hunt without fear of last-minute rejection.
Act quicklyTalk to someone right now
No automated menus. A real licensed mortgage professional who understands your situation.
(248) 864-2200Would it help to talk this out with someone who’s already guided hundreds of ITIN-only buyers from first Google search to closing day? We’re here—no cost, no Spanish-required, no judgment—just real answers.
Start Your Application
Takes about 5 minutes. No obligation. No credit check until you are ready.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. NMHL offers specific ITIN mortgage programs that accept your ITIN in place of an SSN. You’ll need 12 months of credit history (even from ITIN-only credit cards), 10% down, and two years of tax returns filed with your ITIN. We’ve closed loans in as little as 21 days once documents are in.
We can approve as low as 580, but most borrowers we fund land between 620-680. If you’re under 580, we’ll pair you with a free credit-coach for 30-60 days to bump you past the threshold—no cost and no obligation to come back to us.
Expect 10% for a single-family home or 15% for a duplex. Gift funds from family are allowed, and we can count cash saved at home if you deposit it 60 days before closing. No hidden reserves required.
Yes, up to four units. You must live in one unit for the first year (owner-occupant rule), then you can move out and keep it as a rental. We’ve helped ITIN borrowers turn a $20k down payment into a four-plex that now cash-flows $900 a month.
ITIN rates run about 0.375–0.75% higher than conventional, but we shop six wholesale investors to keep you on the low end. On a $300k loan, that’s roughly $70 more per month—not the sky-high premium most people fear.
Deposit cash into your bank weekly for 60 days; we’ll use those deposit patterns as income. Also bring 12 months of invoices, a letter from two clients confirming your work, and your last two years of ITIN-filed tax returns. We’ll stitch it together for the underwriter.
Would it help to talk this out with someone who’s already guided hundreds of ITIN-only buyers from first Google search to closing day? We’re here—no cost, no Spanish-required, no judgment—just real answers.
We will reach out at a time that works for you. No pressure, no obligation.