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ITIN mortgage loans.
You file taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number instead of a Social Security number. There are lenders who write mortgages on exactly that basis.
No Social Security number needed
What an ITIN is
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is issued by the IRS so that someone who is not eligible for a Social Security number can still file and pay federal taxes. It is a nine-digit number and it does the tax job that an SSN would otherwise do.
Plenty of people who have filed and paid taxes for years assume homeownership is closed to them because the number on their return is not an SSN. It is not closed. It is a different set of programs.
What these programs look at
Broadly the same things any mortgage looks at, assembled from different paperwork:
- The ITIN itself, and identification such as a passport or consular ID.
- Filed tax returns, usually for the last two years.
- Income documentation — pay stubs, or bank statements if you are self-employed.
- A payment history built from rent, utilities, insurance or phone bills where there is no traditional credit file.
- Documented funds to close, seasoned in an account.
That fourth item does a lot of work. Years of on-time rent, documented properly, is real evidence and underwriters treat it that way.
Questions people ask
Can I buy a home with an ITIN?
Yes. There is no legal barrier to owning US property with an ITIN. The constraint is that agency programs generally require a Social Security number, so the loan is written under a portfolio program instead.
Is this the same as a foreign national loan?
No. An ITIN borrower lives and works in the United States and files US taxes. A foreign national borrower lives abroad. Different programs, different documents.
What if I do not have a credit score?
Many of these files do not. Alternative credit built from rent and utility history is the normal substitute. Start saving proof of those payments now — twelve months of clean records is worth more than any single document you can produce later.
Hablamos español
Several of our loan officers work with borrowers in Spanish from the first call through closing. Ask for one when you call, or find them on the loan officer directory.
Program availability varies by state and by property. A licensed loan officer will confirm what is available for your situation.
Find out what you qualify for.
A licensed loan officer reviews what you send and tells you where you stand, in writing. No cost, and no obligation to go further.