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Use RSU Income To Qualify For a Jumbo Loan

Buying a home with RSUs, stock grants, or pre-IPO equity compensation? LendFriend Mortgage helps tech employees, executives, founders, and high-income professionals use eligible RSU income and equity-based compensation to qualify for competitive mortgage options in Texas, Florida, Illinois, California, and across the U.S.

How Can Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) Help You Qualify for a Mortgage?

At LendFriend Mortgage, we help tech employees, executives, founders, and professionals use RSU income, stock grants, and equity compensation to qualify for a mortgage with fewer roadblocks. Whether you work for a public company in Austin, Houston or any other major tech and business market, our team knows how to document RSU income clearly and match your profile with lenders that understand equity-based compensation.

Here’s how RSUs can strengthen your mortgage approval:

Higher qualifying income: When RSU income is properly documented through pay stubs, W-2s, vesting schedules, grant agreements, and tax records, it may help increase the income used for mortgage qualification. That can improve buying power, especially for borrowers purchasing in higher-cost Texas markets like Austin and Houston.

Flexible down payment source: Vested RSUs may be used as a source of funds for your down payment, closing costs, or reserves. Whether you have already sold shares or plan to liquidate vested stock before closing, we help make sure the paper trail is clean and lender-ready.

Improved debt-to-income ratio: RSU income can play an important role in your overall income profile. We help present your compensation clearly so eligible equity income is reviewed correctly when lenders calculate your debt-to-income ratio.

More loan options: Some banks take a narrow view of RSU income. As a mortgage broker, LendFriend Mortgage can compare dozens of lenders that are more experienced with complex compensation, including RSUs, bonuses, commission income, and pre-IPO equity scenarios.

Most lenders do not fully understand RSUs. We do. For tech employees from Austin to the Bay Area or employees at public companies across the US, we help turn stock-based compensation into a clear, confident path to mortgage approval.

 

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Stronger Negotiating Position when Buying a Home 

The equity in your current home is unlocked and used as a downpayment on your new home; meaning no sales contingency required! Sellers HATE sales contingencies. Without a sales contingency, your offer is stronger, increasing your chances of buying your next home with ease.

4-3

Get the Highest and Best Sale Price

Without feeling pressured to sell quickly, you can wait for the best offer on your current home. List your home at the best time, market it effectively, and attract more competitive offers. With no rush, you can negotiate better terms and get the highest selling price.

1-1

Reduced Stress

Don't worry about finding temporary housing or organizing multiple moves. Avoid the chaos of having to coordinate the sale of your current home and the purchase of a new one. Transition seamlessly from one home to another and reduce stress or anxiety, making the moving process more manageable and organized.

2-4

Time for Improvements

Make necessary renovations or updates to your new property before you move in. Painting, remodeling, or other improvements would be more challenging if you were already living there. Moving into a freshly updated home (instead of living in it during renovations) is just so much nicer!

Jumbo Mortgage Wins Using RSU & Equity Income

We help tech employees, executives, founders, and high-income professionals secure jumbo mortgages when traditional banks do not fully understand RSU income, stock grants, or pre-IPO equity. These files often require more than a standard approval process. We know how to document complex compensation, identify lenders that will consider eligible equity income, and build a loan profile strong enough to close high-value purchases in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Westlake, and beyond. These are real scenarios with names and identifying details changed for privacy.

Purchasing a $2.7M Home in Austin using SpaceX Stock

The file: Borrower was purchasing a $2.7M home in Austin, Texas with a $2.4M mortgage. Multiple banks would not accept the borrower’s SpaceX equity because the stock had not been publicly traded for a full year.

What LendFriend did: We found a lender willing to review the private company equity, compensation history, liquidity, reserves, and overall borrower strength instead of automatically excluding the stock.

Outcome: Borrower was approved and closed on the Austin home using stock-based compensation that other lenders had rejected.

 

Databricks Employee Uses Pre-IPO Stock to Buy a Second Home in Dallas

The file: Borrower was buying a $1.6M second home in Dallas with a $1.44M jumbo mortgage at 90% LTV. The challenge was using pre-IPO equity in a high-LTV second home purchase.

What LendFriend did: We matched the borrower with an investor that accepted eligible pre-IPO stock and allowed a 90% LTV jumbo loan for the Dallas second home.

Outcome: Borrower secured financing with a jumbo loan option built around pre-IPO equity.

 

Meta Employee Closes on $2M Westlake Home in 14 Days

The file: Borrower was relocating from San Francisco to Westlake and purchasing a $2M home with a $400K down payment. The borrower had strong RSU income from Meta, but needed a lender that could close quickly and underwrite the equity compensation correctly.

What LendFriend did: We documented the RSU income clearly, matched the file with the right lender, and moved the approval process with urgency.

Outcome: Borrower closed on the Westlake home in 14 days using traditional RSU income.

 

 

ConocoPhillips Executive Buys $2.6M Houston Home With Recent Equity Grant

The file: Borrower was purchasing a $2.6M home in Houston with a $2.1M mortgage after receiving a large equity grant that had not yet vested. Most lenders would not count the equity because there was no vesting history.

What LendFriend did: We found a lender willing to evaluate the borrower’s executive compensation package, grant documentation, employment profile, income trajectory, liquidity, and overall financial strength.

Outcome: Borrower was approved for the Houston home despite having no vested equity history.

 

Want to buy a house using your RSUs to qualify for a mortgage? 

Talk to Us About Your Options Today!

Why Tech Employees Trust LendFriend For Their Mortgage 

LendFriend is an Austin-based mortgage broker that’s helped hundreds of tech professionals qualify using RSU income—whether they’re relocating to the fastest-growing tech hub in the U.S. or staying put in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, or Denver.

We work with software engineers, developers, product managers, designers, and executives at public companies like:

  • Google

  • Meta

  • Amazon

  • Salesforce

  • Apple

  • Nvidia

  • SpaceX

  • AMD

Most lenders still underwrite based on outdated guidelines that don't reflect modern income. They want two years of W-2s, clean pay stubs, and income that fits neatly into a traditional box. That often leaves tech employees, executives, and startup employees with valuable equity compensation struggling to qualify for the home they can actually afford.

At LendFriend, we take a more modern approach. We help borrowers use RSUs for mortgage qualification, down payment strategy, or both, including employees at publicly traded tech companies and select pre-IPO companies where equity compensation plays a major role in total compensation.

We’ve helped employees from companies like Databricks, Anthropic, Ripple, Airtable, Ramp, and Stripe buy homes in Austin, Dallas, Houston and all across Texas using pre-IPO stock. Whether your RSUs are vested, vesting, publicly traded, or tied to a late-stage private company, LendFriend helps structure your loan around your real financial picture, not just what shows up on a standard pay stub.

Keep Your RSUs. Buy The House. No Capital Gains Tax

At LendFriend, we work with types of clients with RSUs, including those whose wealth is tied up in equity—not base salary. If you’ve got millions in vested RSUs but a relatively low W-2, you’ve probably been told you “don’t qualify” for a mortgage.

That’s where we come in.

Instead of forcing you to sell shares and trigger capital gains, we may be able to help you leverage your RSU balance as an asset—similar to how we structure asset depletion loans. You keep your stock, maintain your investment position, and still qualify to buy the home you want.

It’s a smart solution for:

  • Early employees at IPO-stage companies

  • Tech execs with lopsided comp plans

  • Anyone whose liquid wealth lives in equity

We match you with lenders who understand modern compensation—and structure your file to reflect your real financial picture.

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FAQs: How RSU Income Mortgages Work

Does RSU count as income for a mortgage?

Yes—many lenders will count vested RSU income as qualifying income, especially if you've received consistent stock grants for 1–2 years. At LendFriend, we work with lenders who understand RSU compensation and know how to document it properly.

Can pre-IPO RSUs help me qualify for a mortgage?

Yes, but private company RSUs are reviewed on an exception basis and are not treated the same way as RSUs from a publicly traded company. Because there is no daily public market price, lenders need to evaluate the strength of the company, the reliability of the valuation, the vesting schedule, and the likelihood that the equity can reasonably support the loan request.

Employees at strong private and pre-IPO companies may have more mortgage options than they realize. When RSUs are supported by a credible company valuation, meaningful investor backing, secondary market activity, tender offer history, or a clear path toward future liquidity, certain lenders may be willing to include them as part of the borrower’s overall qualification profile.

Private company RSUs require a more specialized review than publicly traded RSUs, but that does not mean they should be ignored. For borrowers with strong credit, stable employment, sufficient reserves, clean documentation, and equity from a well-capitalized private company, RSUs can sometimes help strengthen the loan file and expand what may be possible.

 

How do you calculate RSU income for a mortgage?

Most lenders average your vested RSU income over the past 24 months using pay stubs, W-2s, or tax returns. In some cases, we can use your grant schedule or employer compensation letter to support a shorter income history.

Can I qualify for a mortgage if my base salary is low but I have a large amount of RSUs?

Absolutely. You can blend your income and RSU together. We specialize in working with clients whose wealth is tied up in equity—not just W-2 income. Our lenders often treat RSU income similarly to asset depletion, helping you qualify based on your full financial picture.

Can I use unvested RSUs to qualify for a home loan

Typically, unvested RSUs aren't counted as income—but if you have a signed offer letter or upcoming grant schedule, we may be able to use that as supplemental documentation. We’ll review everything upfront to give you a clear path forward.

Do I need to sell my RSUs to qualify?

No. In some cases, we can help you qualify by treating RSUs as assets rather than income. This strategy can help avoid capital gains events while still leveraging your equity.

Will selling RSUs affect my mortgage approval?

It can, depending on timing and documentation. That’s why it’s important to work with a lender like LendFriend who understands the RSU timeline and can help you plan the sale (or avoid it altogether).

What credit score do I need to get approved?

Most RSU mortgage programs require a credit score of 700 or higher—but every file is different. We’ve helped clients with complex income or credit profiles get approved by presenting their equity story the right way.

What's the minimum down payment required under an RSU mortgage?

RSU mortgages rely on whatever loan program you are utilizing (VA, conventional, jumbo, non-QM). Typically, lenders will require using a down payment of at least 10% when using RSU income on a jumbo loan, although if you are going convention you can put as little as 3-5% down.

How do lenders evaluate RSU income for mortgage approval?

Most lenders evaluate RSU income by reviewing at least two years of vesting history, employer verification, and supporting documents like grant schedules and tax returns. Some use historical averages, while others project income based on current stock values. This process helps determine how much of your equity compensation can count toward qualifying for a home loan.

What mortgage options are available if part of my income comes from RSUs?

Borrowers with RSU mortgage options can choose from conventional loans, jumbo mortgages, portfolio lending, or non-QM programs. Each program evaluates stock-based income differently depending on vesting schedules and financial goals. The right option allows tech professionals to match their equity compensation with the most favorable lending terms.

Can unvested RSUs be used to qualify for a mortgage?

Some lenders consider a percentage of unvested stock when reviewing RSU loan programs, provided there is strong documentation such as grant schedules and employer verification. Vested shares carry more weight, but specialized programs expand flexibility by allowing both types to support mortgage qualification for tech employees and executives.

Hear it from our happy homebuyers

5/5 Star Reviews on Google, Zillow, and Experience.

Stars
  • We worked with the LendFriend team and could not recommend it more. As first time home buyers, there is a lot to learn - and LendFriend know how to share their knowledge with patience and professionalism.For anyone considering working with them, just go ahead and give them a call. You will not regret it.
    Jesper Holdensen
    Closed June 2025
  • Wow my husband and I were truly impressed with how easy the LendFriend team made our home buying experience. Eric and his team took extra care in explaining and outlining each step -- a real customer first experience. On top of that, each member of the team was incredibly knowledgeable, organized, and responsive; resulting in an expeditious close! The website promise of working around the clock to support you is 100% factual, we had staff answering questions late night and weekends. The entire team was a real pleasure to work with, so if you are looking for a mortgage broker look no further, LendFriend is the team for you! They will give you peace of mind, get you the best rates, and make you feel confident when buying your home :)
    Sarah Carr
    Closed May 2025
  • Truly can’t recommend the LendFriend team enough ! Nobody works harder to make sure the homebuying process is seamless, quick, and as easy as it could be. I truly can’t say enough how amazing it was to work with Eric and his team as a first time homebuyer!
    Alexandra Morse
    Closed March 2026
  • Super impressed with how fast and smooth the whole process was — especially given my complex RSU comp structure that traditional banks kept discounting.Eric and the team had no problem including my full base + RSU compensation. They were extremely fast, set clear expectations from the start, and followed through on everything they promised.

    Honestly one of the easiest and most stress-free mortgage experiences I’ve ever had. Highly recommend!
    Krishan Paramesvaran
    Closed May 2026
  • Eric and his team were incredibly helpful and communicative throughout the lending and refinancing process, and made me feel very supported. Will definitely go back to them in the future.
    James Zhu
    Closed April 2026
  • Michael, Morgan, and Crystal were absolutely fantastic. Their communication was clear, their response time was incredibly fast, and they handled every step of the process with professionalism and care. Michael was outstanding, and the entire team made the experience smooth and stress-free from start to finish. I truly appreciate the level of service they provided and highly recommend them.
    D Day
    Closed November 2025

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