Use Your RSUs and Stock Grants to Buy Your Dream Home

If you work for a publicly traded company—especially in tech—your compensation likely includes Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). For many software engineers, product managers, designers, and executives, RSUs aren’t just a perk—they’re a meaningful part of their total income. In some cases, they’re the majority of it.

But when it comes time to qualify for a mortgage, RSUs can suddenly feel invisible. Many borrowers are shocked to learn that their lender won’t count their RSU income at all. Even worse, some lenders claim they don’t “do those kinds of loans” or insist on relying solely on base salary.

At LendFriend, we think differently. We’ve helped hundreds of tech employees qualify for mortgages using RSUs as part of their income—especially when base salary alone isn’t enough. Based in Austin, Texas, we understand how tech compensation works and know how to structure your loan around the full value of your earnings.

What Are RSUs, and Why Do Some Lenders Struggle With Them?

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are shares of stock granted by your employer that vest over time—typically over a four-year schedule with quarterly or annual vesting. Once vested, they become yours to hold or sell, and for employees at publicly traded companies, that means you’re receiving income in a form that can be used to build wealth—or buy a home.

Many tech employees receive RSUs as part of their core compensation package, not as a fringe benefit. In fact, it’s not uncommon for RSUs to make up 30–70% of an employee’s total earnings. But despite how prevalent this type of pay has become in the modern economy, many lenders still fail to account for it properly.

Why? Because they’re relying on rigid, outdated underwriting models that only recognize income if it appears on a W-2 as regular salary. If it doesn’t show up in a traditional box, it often gets ignored. This creates a major disconnect for high-performing borrowers who are financially secure but don’t fit the mold.

As a result, borrowers with strong RSU income—even those with consistent vesting and sizable balances—can find themselves being denied or approved for far less than they can truly afford. Worse, some lenders outright reject RSU-heavy profiles, either due to policy or lack of expertise. At LendFriend, we see that as a missed opportunity—and we’re here to fix it.

How RSU Income Can Be Used to Qualify

The good news is that RSU income can count—if it’s structured and documented the right way. This section builds on what we discussed earlier, but here’s where we shift from the problem to the solution. At LendFriend, we don’t just acknowledge your RSU income—we know how to make it work for your mortgage qualification.

Most lenders will consider RSU income only if certain criteria are met. We help make sure those boxes are checked and presented cleanly so your full earning potential is reflected.

Here's what we typically need to include RSU income in your loan file:

• 12 to 24 months of vested RSU income from your current employer

• Proof of ongoing vesting, usually from your stock grant schedule or compensation letter

• Evidence of stability in both vesting history and stock performance

• Publicly traded shares with verifiable market value

We walk you through the documentation—from pay stubs to employer letters—so underwriters see a clear, consistent income stream. In many cases, we can average RSU income over two years to show long-term viability and reduce volatility concerns.

This isn’t about stuffing paperwork into a file—it’s about telling the full story of how you’re compensated and why that RSU income should count when qualifying for a mortgage. And at LendFriend, we know how to make that case.

Why RSUs Matters for Your Loan Approval

Excluding RSU income from your loan application can significantly reduce the loan amount you qualify for, which lowers your buying power. But when it’s counted properly, it can open up far more options. Let's look at two examples that show how RSUs can play very different roles depending on your compensation profile.

Example 1: RSU Income as a Supplement

You’re earning a $100,000 base salary and vesting $25,000 in RSUs annually. Your monthly debts (car loan, student loan, etc.) are about $500. You want to buy a $660,000 home and put down 20%, meaning a $540,000 loan.

At a 6.5% interest rate on a 30-year fixed loan, your mortgage payment will put you right on the edge of qualifying. Without the RSU income, your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is too high—over 51%—and you likely won’t get approved.

But with the RSU income included, your DTI drops to 37.5%, well within lending guidelines. Same house, same buyer—but a completely different outcome because one lender understood your income and the other didn’t.

Example 2: RSU Wealth, Low Salary

You’ve been working at a major tech company for years and have built up $3 million in vested RSUs. But your current W-2 income is just $100,000—and most lenders won’t look beyond that.

This is where an asset depletion mortgage makes sense. Instead of qualifying based on income, we treat your RSUs like assets. If you’re holding them in a brokerage account and don’t want to sell them all just to prove income, we may be able to use their value to calculate a monthly "income equivalent."

For example, we might divide your $3 million in vested RSUs by 240 months (20 years), resulting in a qualifying income of $12,500/month—far more than your W-2 shows. That could allow you to qualify for a $1.5M+ mortgage, even if your paychecks say otherwise.

This strategy is ideal for:

• Tech employees nearing retirement

• Founders and early employees with large stock positions

• People who got in early—Series A or Series B employees sitting on significant vested equity

• Anyone who prefers not to liquidate assets upfront

Why Employees with RSUs and Stock Grants Trust LendFriend

As an Austin-based mortgage company, we’ve helped hundreds of clients relocate to the fastest-growing tech hub in the U.S., and we’ve helped just as many stay put in cities like Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and New York.

From early employees at startups to seasoned professionals at companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Salesforce, Microsoft, and Nvidia, we understand how equity-based compensation really works—and we know how to qualify it properly.

Our team knows what documents make a difference, how to present equity income to underwriters, and which lenders are truly RSU-friendly. Whether you’re early in your vesting schedule or have millions in stock already granted, we help tailor your mortgage strategy around the full picture—not just your base pay.

Thinking About Buying? Let’s Talk First

If you’ve got RSUs and you’re considering buying a home—now or in the future—let’s talk. Even if you’re not ready to make an offer, we’ll review your compensation structure and show you how it can help you qualify. We’ll help you avoid surprises, prepare your documents, and shop for the best possible loan.