Starting a new job while buying a home? Planning a mortgage with an employment offer starts with questions about documents and timing. Discuss your scenario before committing to a purchase schedule.
Use this guide to prepare questions about a job change. It does not establish availability or approval for a NorthStar loan program.
Understand the dates in an employment-offer mortgage
Closing is the transaction event; the note date is the date on your mortgage promissory note. Your employment start date is separate. Loan delivery is the lender’s later transfer of the loan to Fannie Mae. Ask your lender to explain which date controls each requirement.
Fannie Mae has two different documentation paths
Under Fannie Mae’s employment-offer guidance, the options depend on paystub timing:
- Option 1: The lender obtains a supporting paystub before loan delivery, reviews the accepted, fully executed, non-contingent employment offer or contract, and completes required employment verification.
- Option 2: Without a paystub before delivery, eligibility is limited to a one-unit principal-residence purchase using fixed-base income. Neither option permits employment by a family member or transaction interested party. Option 2 requires an accepted, non-contingent offer; any employment conditions must be satisfied and confirmed before closing. The start date must fall between 30 days before and 90 days after the note date. Additional financial-resource requirements apply beyond ordinary transaction reserves.
Ask the lender to calculate required resources and confirm its own conditions.
Prepare a useful document packet
The CFPB’s application-packet checklist suggests organizing income records, recent bank statements, and evidence of your down-payment funds. Your situation may require additional documents, and you may need to update records as the application progresses.
For your first conversation, write down the proposed property state, purchase goal, anticipated closing date, and expected job start date. Also list questions you have about the offer, compensation, and available funds. Ask for a secure way to provide the employment contract and financial records.
Questions to ask before choosing a closing date
- Which employment-offer option will you evaluate, and what remains to be verified?
- What happens if my start date, pay, or employment conditions change?
- How much cash will I need for closing and the period before my first paycheck?
- Which lender requirements apply in addition to the agency guidance?
Compare written offers and discuss your scenario
The CFPB recommends requesting comparable Loan Estimates from multiple lenders. Check the expected payment, costs, and rate-lock status. Receiving a Loan Estimate is not loan approval.
Documents cannot be required as a condition of issuing a Loan Estimate; verification documents are part of the later application review after you choose to proceed.
Contact NorthStar Funding about a mortgage with an employment offer, or explore our mortgage loan options. Share a brief description of your timeline through the general inquiry form. Ask for an approved secure channel before sending employment contracts, account statements, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive records.
Reviewed October 13, 2026. This educational guide is not a loan offer or approval. Loan availability and terms depend on lender review of your application.