Big-bank underwriters are trained to look for steady W-2 paychecks that arrive every other Friday. When they see irregular deposits labeled ‘ABC Realty’ for $11,432 one month and $2,150 the next, their risk software flags you as ‘volatile.’ They average your last 24 months of net taxable income, subtract the mileage you wrote off, divide by 24, and — voilà — you qualify for a $220,000 shack three counties away.

At NMHL we underwrite people, not spreadsheets. Our Portfolio Bank-Statement Program looks at gross deposits into your business or personal account, adds back non-cash expenses like depreciation, and uses a common-sense expense factor (usually 15–25%) instead of whatever your CPA managed to whittle down to zero. Translation: if you consistently deposit $9–12k most months, we treat that as reliable income. Agents routinely qualify for 30–40% higher purchase prices than their tax returns suggest.

• 12 or 24 months of statements — you choose the strongest period
• Expense factor capped at 25% — no digging through every Starbucks receipt
• 1099s or business license — we don’t need two years of the same broker
• Down to 660 FICO — perfect credit not required

Day 1: Gather your last 3–4 months of personal or business bank statements (all pages, even blank ones) and your real-estate license. Upload them to NMHL’s secure portal or text photos to your assigned loan officer. No need for tax returns yet.

Day 2–3: We run two income calculations — 12-month and 24-month averages — and issue a Credit-Only Pre-Approval Letter stating max purchase price and monthly payment. You can now write offers; sellers treat it the same as any lender letter.

Day 4–7: While you house-hunt, we collect remaining items: drivers license, YTD profit & loss (template provided), real-estate license history from NMLS or state DBPR, and commission agreements from your broker. If your offer gets accepted, we already have the heavy lifting done and can close in 21 days.

Pro tip: If you’re in a competitive market, ask for a 21-day close with a 2-day inspection period. Listing agents love certainty from fellow agents, and our pre-approval carries their weight.

Case 1 – Miami, FL
Single agent, licensed 18 months, $92k gross commissions, $38k taxable after mileage & marketing. Big bank pre-approved her for $210k; average condo in her farm starts at $350k. NMHL used 12-month bank statements, added back $18k depreciation, qualified her to $410k. She closed on a $375k 2-bed with 5% down and seller-paid closing costs.

Case 2 – Denver, CO
Husband-and-wife team, combined $180k gross, but wrote off two vehicles and home office. Previous lender required 20% down because ‘net income too low.’ NMHL split the application: W-2 spouse on conventional loan, 1099 spouse on bank-statement calculation. End result: 10% total down payment and a $520k townhouse with mountain views.

Case 3 – Tampa, FL
Veteran agent, 15 years licensed, took 6 months off for cancer treatment, returned with strong Q4. Big bank wanted new 24-month average; we used Commission-Plus Program (12-month look-back) and VA zero-down. Closed at $425k with 4.9% rate, no PMI, and skipped two months of payments thanks to VA funding fee waiver.

You already tell buyers to avoid new credit; now it’s your turn. Freeze your credit reports at all three bureaus until you’re ready to apply — prevents accidental pulls from furniture stores or car dealers. When you’re within 45 days of serious house shopping, unfreeze them and let NMHL run one tri-merge inquiry; we’ll use that same report for every offer you write for the next four months.

Keep your business and personal accounts separate. Underwriters must source every large deposit; if a $15k commission check lands in your personal account, write a short note: ‘Commission from XYZ Realty, copy of settlement statement attached.’ Takes 30 seconds, saves 48 hours of underwriting headaches.

Finally, don’t pay off that car loan yet. If it has fewer than 10 payments left, we can exclude it from your debt ratio, but zero-balance installment loans sometimes drop your score 10–15 points before they report as closed. Let us run the numbers both ways first.

Imagine walking into your next buyer consultation knowing exactly what you qualify for — down to the penny — because you’ve already been underwritten. That confidence changes how you write offers, how you negotiate inspection repairs, and how quickly you can close. In 15 minutes we can run your bank-statement income, pull a soft credit check (no score hit), and send you a pre-approval letter you can customize with any offer price up to your max.

Bring your coffee, pajamas welcome. We’ll screenshare our calculator so you can see how each extra $1,000 in price affects payment and cash-to-close. No question is off limits — we’ve heard them all, from ‘Can I count my Airbnb side-gig?’ to ‘What if I just got my broker’s license and my 1099 will triple next year?’

Schedule through the calendar link below or text ‘AGENT’ to 555-NMHL. We’ll reply with three open slots within 24 hours. If you’re under contract and need a same-day pre-approval letter update, we’ll get it done in under an hour — because we know how fast your market moves.