Selling a larger house, retiring early or living on a portfolio can leave you with a strong balance sheet and a thin income record. For buyers in Chester, an asset-based mortgage may bridge that gap by treating eligible savings and investments as a source of repayment. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor across Pennsylvania, so knowing how your accounts will be read helps you compare offers with fewer surprises.
Call to speak with a licensed loan officer about asset depletion mortgages in Chester. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Savings, investments and retirement income in Chester
7.7% of Chester households receive interest, dividend or rental income, and 22.3% receive retirement income. Owners 65 and older head 42% of owner-occupied homes here. Buyers whose wealth sits in accounts rather than a paycheck are the ones asset depletion programs are designed around.
Which of your accounts a lender may count
Begin by sorting what you own into two piles: money you could reach without selling a house or a business, and everything else. Lenders building an asset-based file look mostly at the first pile. Checking, savings and money market balances tend to carry the most weight because their value does not swing.
Brokerage holdings such as stocks, bonds and funds are often included at a discount, since a market drop could shrink them. Retirement accounts may be included if you can draw on them, sometimes after an allowance for taxes. Equity in real estate, a stake in a private company, vehicles and collectibles usually sit outside the calculation. An account shared with someone who is not on the loan may need that person's written consent before it counts.
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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 508-8976. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.
How a qualifying income is built from savings
The arithmetic follows a set order. The lender first confirms your eligible balances and applies any discounts the program requires. It then sets aside the money you will use for the down payment, closing costs and the reserves the program expects you to keep. Whatever remains is divided by a number of months the program chooses, and the result is treated as monthly income.
That figure is then weighed against your housing costs and other debts, just as a salary would be. Nothing in the calculation requires you to withdraw money on a schedule; it is a way to show capacity. If you also receive Social Security, a pension or annuity payments, many programs let you add those on, which can reduce how much the accounts need to carry.
Who this tends to fit
- You retired early and your income on paper is small next to your balances
- You are between careers and living off savings while you decide what comes next
- You are retired and live on savings, investments or retirement accounts instead of a salary
- Your Social Security or pension falls short without help from your assets
- You sold a business or a property and the proceeds sit in liquid accounts
Local offices and Pennsylvania rules to know
- Property assessment: Delaware County Assessment Bureau.
Mortgage lenders, brokers and loan originators serving Pennsylvania are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Non-QM loans are made by the same licensed lenders and brokers, so you can confirm any company's or loan officer's license on NMLS Consumer Access before you apply.
Downsizing or adding a second home in Chester
Many asset-based buyers are moving from a larger house to a smaller one, or keeping their main home and adding a place near family or the water. Each plan raises its own questions. If you are selling first, the sale proceeds may become part of your eligible assets once they land in your account, and the closing statement will serve as the paper trail.
If you are buying before you sell, the lender will count the payment on your current home along with the next one, so the qualifying income has to cover both. For a second home, programs look at how you will use the property, and a home you plan to rent out may fall under a different category of loan. Tell the loan officer your plan for each property in the first conversation.
Before you call
- Award letters for Social Security, a pension or annuity income
- Details of any margin loan or credit line secured by your investments
- A note of who owns each account and whether anyone else must sign off
- Your plan for your current home: sell first, buy first or keep it
- A paper trail for any large deposit, such as the closing statement from a home or business sale
Questions Chester borrowers ask about asset depletion mortgages
Does an asset-based loan cost more than a standard one?
Non-QM asset depletion loans often price higher than agency loans, because the investor accepts more risk when income comes from balances instead of earnings. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have narrower asset-based options that may cost less if you fit them. Ask a loan officer to price both paths where possible and compare full Loan Estimates, not a single advertised figure.
Can I use asset depletion for a second home?
It can work. Many programs allow asset-based qualifying for a second home, though some limit it to a primary residence. Expect questions about how you will use the property and how far it sits from your main home. If you intend to rent it out most of the time, a loan based on the property's rent is a separate category and may suit that plan more closely.
Do retirement accounts count if I cannot withdraw without a penalty?
Some programs include them if you are able to access the funds, often after reducing the balance to allow for taxes and early-withdrawal costs. Others treat restricted retirement assets more cautiously or leave them out. Bring your plan documents so the lender can see your access rules. How a withdrawal would be taxed in your case is a separate matter, so talk to a tax professional.
Can a couple combine their accounts?
Usually, when both people are on the loan and the accounts are in either or both names. If an account belongs to someone who is not applying, such as an adult child or a trust, the lender may require documented access or leave it out. Spouses with separate accounts should list them all, since the total pool affects the qualifying income a program can build.
Get answers about asset depletion mortgages for a home in or around Chester. Subject to credit approval; programs vary.
Other non-QM options for Chester borrowers
Bank statement loans in ChesterNon-QM lenders in ChesterSelf-employed in Chester1099 loans in ChesterP&L loans in ChesterNo-doc / stated income in ChesterNew self-employed in ChesterITIN loans in ChesterForeign national in ChesterNon-warrantable condo in ChesterBank statement HELOC in ChesterInterest-only in ChesterAfter bankruptcy in ChesterBad credit in ChesterSelf-employed refinance in ChesterNon-QM jumbo in Chester
Asset Depletion Mortgages near Chester
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Brookhaven, PA (2 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Woodlyn, PA (3 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Village Green-Green Ridge, PA (3 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Ridley Park, PA (3 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Boothwyn, PA (4 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Folsom, PA (4 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Swarthmore, PA (4 mi)
- Asset Depletion Mortgages in Prospect Park, PA (4 mi)
Related guides
- Asset Depletion Loans Explained: Qualifying With Savings and Investments
- What Is a Non-QM Loan?
- How to Compare Non-QM Loan Offers: Loan Estimates, Features and Fit
Asset Depletion Mortgages across Pennsylvania · Asset Depletion Mortgages guide · Pennsylvania overview
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B19054, B19059 and B25007