08/12/2026
‼️This is a mortgage guideline change I’m actually pretty excited about because it could open the door for borrowers who have plenty of money in the bank or investments, but don’t necessarily show enough traditional income to qualify.
We now have another option where accumulated assets may be used as qualifying income. 👀
Here are some of the highlights:
💰 Minimum eligible assets: $30,000
🏡 Available for:
• Primary residences
• Second homes
• Investment properties
📄 Can be used for:
• Purchases
• Rate/term refinances
• Cash-out refinances
And one of the biggest changes — there is no borrower age restriction for eligible deposit accounts and securities.
But this is the part that really stood out to me:
The calculation period is being reduced from 240 months to 180 months.
In simple terms, that means the same amount of eligible assets could potentially provide more qualifying monthly income than before.
Of course, there are guidelines we have to follow regarding where the funds came from, seasoning, transfers between accounts, market fluctuations, proceeds from the sale of a business or property, and how much of the assets can actually be used.
But this could be a really helpful option for someone who is asset-rich but doesn’t show a lot of traditional income on paper.
And for my Realtor friends, here’s something to think about:
Would you rather have a borrower with $1 million invested who reports $50,000 a year in income… or someone earning $150,000 a year with $100,000 in the bank?
From a mortgage qualifying standpoint, the answer might not be as obvious as you think. 😉
This is exactly why I always tell people: don’t assume you won’t qualify based solely on your W-2 or tax returns. There may be other options we can look at.
If you have a client who has significant assets but has struggled to qualify because of their income, send them my way. I’d be happy to run the numbers and see what options may be available. 🏡🔑
And if you’re a Realtor who has run into this situation before, drop a comment below. I’m curious how often you’re seeing it!
