If you run a business, freelance or take 1099 work around Brooklyn, a bank statement loan may let you qualify from the money moving through your accounts. The lender studies deposit patterns over a set review window, applies an expense adjustment to business accounts and asks about anything unusual. Knowing how that review works in New York before you apply can spare you a second round of document requests.
Call to speak with a licensed loan officer about bank statement loans in Brooklyn. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Self-employment in Brooklyn by the numbers
Census estimates show 10.4% of Brooklyn's working residents are self-employed, roughly 129,465 people, close to the 10.4% share for Kings County as a whole. That share is higher than in 67% of the New York cities and towns we cover. Owners of incorporated businesses make up 4.1% of the local workforce; their pay often flows from a business account to a personal account. When write-offs shrink the income on a tax return, a review of actual deposits can tell a fuller story, which is why bank statement programs exist.
How lenders turn statements into qualifying income
A bank statement program commonly reviews 12 or 24 months of statements from personal accounts, business accounts or in some cases both. The underwriter adds up the eligible deposits across that window and divides by the number of months to reach an average monthly figure.
With personal statements, deposits are usually treated as income after business costs, since the money has already left the business. With business statements, the lender knows part of each deposit goes to expenses, so it applies an expense factor set by the program or uses an expense letter from your CPA or tax preparer that states your actual ratio. The figure that results is the income used to measure your ability to repay.
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Personal accounts, business accounts or both
Which statements you submit can change your income figure. Some owners run everything through one business account and pay themselves irregularly. Others move a set draw into a personal account each month. Lenders can work with either, but the review differs.
Business statements show gross revenue, so an expense adjustment is applied. Personal statements show what reached you, so the lender may want proof that you own the business, such as a license, a CPA letter or formation documents, and may ask for some business statements to confirm where the personal deposits come from. If personal spending runs through a business account, expect more questions. Keeping the two separate makes your file much easier to read.
Who this tends to fit
- You are self-employed and write-offs make your tax returns show less income than your deposits
- You are paid on 1099s by several clients and your income arrives in uneven amounts
- You keep business and personal money in separate accounts with clean records
- A bank turned you down because of the income shown on your returns
- You own a business and pay yourself through irregular owner draws
Local offices and New York rules to know
- Deed and mortgage recording: NYC Department of Finance, Office of the City Register (ACRIS) - Brooklyn/Kings County. Your mortgage is recorded here after closing.
- Property assessment: NYC Department of Finance (property assessment and property tax benefits). Homeowners apply to the NYC Department of Finance for property tax exemptions such as the senior, veterans, and Disabled Homeowners' Exemption; STAR is administered through New York State.
Lenders often confirm that your business is active. In New York, business entity records are searchable through the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations. If a CPA prepares your expense letter or P&L, the lender may check the license with the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions.
What underwriters flag on Brooklyn bank statement files
Underwriters read statements line by line, and certain items reliably prompt a letter of explanation. Large deposits that do not match your usual pattern are the most common. The lender wants to know whether the money is business income, a loan, a gift or a transfer, and may ask for a source document.
Overdrafts and nonsufficient funds charges can signal tight cash flow and may count against you. A steady decline in deposits across the review window can lead the lender to rely on the lower recent average. Cash deposits without a paper trail, payments on a tax payment plan and gaps where statements are missing all draw attention. None of these automatically ends a file, but each is easier to handle when you explain it up front.
Before you call
- Complete monthly statements for the review window, every page, downloaded from your bank
- Statements for the accounts holding your down payment and closing funds
- Contact details for a CPA, EA or tax preparer who can write an expense letter if needed
- A list of which accounts are business, which are personal and who else is on each one
- A list of transfers between your own accounts so they are not counted as income
Questions Brooklyn borrowers ask about bank statement loans
What is a bank statement loan?
It is a mortgage that uses bank statements instead of tax returns to document income. A lender reviews a set number of months of personal or business statements, totals the eligible deposits, adjusts business deposits for expenses and arrives at a monthly income figure. It is a non-QM loan, so it falls outside the Qualified Mortgage rules, but the lender must still make a good-faith determination that you can repay.
What is an expense factor?
When a lender uses business bank statements, it knows not every deposit is profit. The program applies an expense factor, a set share of deposits treated as business costs, and counts the remainder as income. Many programs let you replace that standard factor with a letter from your CPA, EA or tax preparer stating your actual expense ratio, which can help if your business runs leaner than the default.
Can I use bank statements if I also have a W-2 job?
Some programs allow it, combining W-2 wages documented the usual way with self-employment income documented through bank statements. Others want the bank statement method to cover all of the income used to qualify. How a lender treats a mixed file depends on the investor's guidelines, so mention every income source at the start instead of letting one surface partway through underwriting.
How many months of statements will I need?
Programs commonly review 12 or 24 months of statements. A shorter window may reflect your recent income better if your business has grown, while a longer window can smooth out seasonal swings in deposits. Some programs price or structure the two options differently. Ask a loan officer to show how each review window would affect your qualifying income before you choose one.
Get answers about bank statement loans for a home in or around Brooklyn. Subject to credit approval; programs vary.
Other non-QM options for Brooklyn borrowers
Non-QM lenders in BrooklynSelf-employed1099 loansP&L loansAsset depletionNo-doc / stated incomeNew self-employedITIN loansForeign nationalNon-warrantable condoBank statement HELOCInterest-only
Bank Statement Loans near Brooklyn
- Bank Statement Loans in New York, NY (3 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Jersey City, NJ (8 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Hoboken, NJ (8 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Bayonne, NJ (9 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Union City, NJ (9 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Manhattan, NY (9 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in West New York, NJ (10 mi)
- Bank Statement Loans in Guttenberg, NJ (10 mi)
Related guides
- What Is a Bank Statement Loan and How Does It Work?
- Bank Statement Loan Requirements and Qualifications
- Personal vs. Business Bank Statements: How Lenders Read Them
Bank Statement Loans across New York · Bank Statement Loans guide · New York 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, table B24080 (class of worker)