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Self-Employed · Las Vegas · 2026

Mortgages for self-employed Las Vegas buyers

Three qualifying paths for 1099s, business owners, and contractors: conventional with tax returns, bank-statement loans that skip returns, and DSCR for investment properties. We run all three and tell you which returns the highest purchase price for your situation.

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4.9 / 5 · 814+ reviews
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NMLS #65506
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Serving Nevada since 2004
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Mortgage broker, not a direct lender
Short Answer

If you're self-employed in Las Vegas — 1099 contractor, LLC owner, Airbnb investor, or anyone whose income doesn't land on a W-2 — you have three realistic mortgage paths. Conventional with two years of tax returns works when you don't write off aggressively. Bank-statement loans use 12 to 24 months of deposits instead of returns. DSCR loans qualify off the property's rent, not your income. Valley West Mortgage (NMLS #65506) shops 50+ wholesale lenders across all three — broker, not a lender.

Three paths

Pick the path that fits your situation

Each program has a different qualifying logic. Most self-employed buyers benefit from running the numbers across all three before locking a direction.

1

Conventional (tax returns)

Standard Fannie / Freddie. Uses your two-year averaged net income from tax returns. Best when your reported net income supports the purchase.

  • 3% to 20% down
  • 620+ FICO
  • Best rates of the three
  • Two years personal + business returns
2

Bank-statement loan

Non-QM. Uses 12 or 24 months of personal or business bank deposits. Qualifying income is deposits multiplied by an expense factor.

  • 10% to 20% down
  • 640+ FICO typical
  • Slightly higher rate than conventional
  • No tax returns required
3

DSCR (investment)

For investment-property purchases. Qualifies off the property's rent — not your personal income. Ideal for scaling a rental portfolio.

  • 20% to 25% down
  • 660+ FICO typical
  • Rate depends on DSCR ratio
  • No personal income documentation
The write-off trade-off

Why you might qualify for less on conventional

Self-employed borrowers often have a hidden constraint: aggressive tax write-offs reduce your net taxable income, which reduces your qualifying income on any tax-return-based loan. That's a feature for your tax bill; it's a bug for your mortgage qualifying power.

Worked example: a Las Vegas business owner grosses $180,000/yr, writes off $60,000 in legitimate business expenses, and reports $120,000 net on Schedule C. A conventional lender qualifies you on roughly that $120,000 net. A bank-statement lender looks at your last 12 to 24 months of deposits — typically $15,000/mo in our example — applies an expense factor (say 50%), and qualifies you on $90,000 to $180,000 depending on the factor. Often the bank-statement path returns a higher qualifying income for self-employed buyers with heavy write-offs.

The right move depends on the year you plan to buy. If you want conventional's lower rate, coordinate with your CPA a year ahead to reduce write-offs temporarily. If you prefer to keep optimizing for taxes, bank-statement is often the better path even at a slightly higher rate.

Not tax advice. Work with your CPA on the specific trade-off. Sources: Fannie Mae Selling Guide; Freddie Mac Single-Family.

Process

How we run all three scenarios

Five steps. You answer a short questionnaire; we model each path side-by-side.

Document intake

Two years personal + business tax returns (if available), 12 to 24 months business bank statements, credit pull (soft), and any investment-property rent rolls.

Income reconstruction

We model conventional qualifying income (tax-return method) and bank-statement qualifying income (deposit method) side-by-side. You see both numbers.

Shop 50+ lenders across 3 paths

Your file goes out to conventional, bank-statement, and DSCR wholesale networks. We compare all-in costs (rate + points + PMI) not just rates.

Pre-approval within 72 hours

Issued on the path that returns the highest qualifying purchase price for your profile, with the lowest combined cost.

Close in 30–45 days

Conventional closes in ~30 days. Non-QM (bank-statement / DSCR) may take 40–45 days due to underwriting depth. Investment-property DSCR often closes faster if rent analysis is clean.

FAQ

Common self-employed mortgage questions

For anything not covered, call us at (702) 696-9900.

Can I get a mortgage if I'm self-employed in Las Vegas?

Yes. Self-employed borrowers have three common paths: conventional loans with two years of tax returns, bank-statement loans that use 12 to 24 months of personal or business bank deposits in place of tax returns, and DSCR loans for investment-property purchases that qualify based on the property's rental income. Your broker will model all three and pick the one that returns the highest qualifying purchase price for your situation.

What is a bank-statement mortgage?

A bank-statement mortgage is a non-QM loan program that lets self-employed borrowers qualify using 12 or 24 months of personal or business bank statements instead of tax returns. Qualifying income is typically calculated as average monthly deposits multiplied by an expense factor (50 to 100% depending on business type and documentation). These loans typically require 10 to 20 percent down, higher credit minimums, and carry slightly higher rates than conforming loans.

How many years of tax returns do I need for a conventional self-employed mortgage?

Most conventional lenders require two years of personal federal tax returns and two years of business returns if you own 25 percent or more of a business. Some lenders accept one year of tax returns if you have a two-plus-year history in the same business. Your broker will determine which lender fits your documentation.

What is a DSCR loan and when should I use one?

DSCR stands for Debt-Service Coverage Ratio. It's an investment-property loan that qualifies you based on the property's rental income, not your personal income. You provide the purchase contract and a rent analysis; the lender calculates whether the rent covers the mortgage payment plus a margin. Use DSCR when you own multiple properties, have hard-to-document personal income, or want to scale a rental portfolio quickly.

What credit score do I need for a self-employed mortgage?

Requirements vary by program. Conventional loans for self-employed borrowers generally require 620 or higher. Bank-statement loans typically start at 640 to 680. DSCR loans often require 660 or higher with larger down-payment buffers for lower credit scores. Your broker will match you to the program with the lowest combined cost, not just the lowest rate.

Can I write off expenses aggressively and still qualify?

Writing off aggressively reduces your net taxable income, which reduces your qualifying income on a conventional tax-return-based loan. If your write-offs limit your purchase power on conventional, a bank-statement loan that uses deposits rather than net income often returns a much higher qualifying amount. Your CPA and broker should coordinate the year you plan to buy.

About the person behind the file

Reviewed by Vatche Saatdjian

VS

Vatche Saatdjian · Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #65506

Licensed in 32 states. Valley West Mortgage has closed conventional, bank-statement, and DSCR loans for Las Vegas business owners and investors for 20+ years. Broker-first model: we shop 50+ wholesale lenders across all three self-employed mortgage paths.

Reviewed and approved for publication April 2026.
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