Purchase · 5 min read
Can I buy a house if I just started a new job?
October 9, 2026 · Written by Bill Egan, NMLS 7342
Short answer
Yes, if the new job is real and the pay is likely to continue. A change into the same kind of work is usually fine. We need an offer letter or a pay stub that shows the new pay, and we confirm you started or that the start date is before closing. A brand-new commission job, or a gap with no offer, is harder because there is no history to average. Tell us about the job before you write an offer.
01
Why this comes up
You accepted an offer, or you started this week, and you do not want to wait a year to buy. The house you like will not sit while you build a long pay history at the new place.
02
Where this goes wrong
The contract is signed, then the file needs the first pay stub and the start date is after closing. Or the new pay is commission and there is nothing yet to average. The payment on the letter was based on the old job.
03
What we do about it
We read the offer letter, the start date, and whether the work matches what you did before. We size the payment on the income the file can actually use, and we flag a start date that lands after closing before you write the offer.
04
How to get ready
Keep the offer letter and the first pay stub. Do not leave the old job until the new one is firm. Send the start date and say whether pay is salary or commission before you shop.