Mortgage With an Offer Letter: Big-Tech New Hires and Future Start Dates (2026)

Quick answer (updated October 2026): Yes, you can get a mortgage with an offer letter. Fannie Mae's Selling Guide B3-3.3-03 (updated October 7, 2026) allows two paths: one where the lender gets your first paystub before delivering the loan, and one where it doesn't, which is limited to purchases of one-unit primary homes on base salary, with a start-date window and extra reserves.

You signed with Amazon in Austin, Oracle in Nashville or a hospital system in Houston. The relocation package is generous, the housing market at your destination is competitive, and you'd like to close on a house before (or right after) you start. Your problem: you don't have a single paystub from the new employer.

That used to mean waiting. Under Fannie Mae's current rule, it often doesn't. But the details matter a lot, especially if most of your pay is bonus or RSUs, or if you're transferring an H-1B. This guide walks through both options and what lenders actually ask for.

How a mortgage with an offer letter works under Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae's section B3-3.3-03, Employment Offers or Contracts, was updated October 7, 2026 (announcement SEL-2026-09). It sets out two options.

Requirement	Option 1: Paystub before loan delivery	Option 2: No paystub before delivery
Transaction	Not limited in the guide	Purchase only
Occupancy / units	Not limited in the guide	Principal residence, one unit
Income used	Offer letter income	Fixed base income only
Start-date window	None specified	No earlier than 30 days before the note date, no later than 90 days after
Offer letter	Fully executed; shows employer, borrower, position, pay type and rate, start date	Fully executed and non-contingent; same details
Paystub	Lender must have your most recent paystub supporting the income before it delivers the loan to Fannie	Not required before delivery
Verbal VOE	Required (or employer confirms terms unchanged if start is on/after note date)	Same
Extra reserves	None from this rule	6 months' PITIA, or enough to cover all DTI debts from closing through start month plus one
Employer can't be	Family member or interested party	Same

In both options, the lender qualifies you using the monthly income stated in the offer letter, and you must show acceptance (a signed letter, an email confirmation or other verifiable proof).

What Option 1 means in practice

Option 1 lets you close before your first paycheck, as long as the lender has that paystub before it sells the loan to Fannie Mae. Many lenders won't take that delivery risk and will require the paystub before closing. That's an overlay, not the agency rule, and it varies widely.

What Option 2 means in practice

Option 2 is the cleaner fit for relocations: you can close up to 90 days before you start. The trade-offs are the restrictions (purchase, primary, one unit, base pay only) and the reserves.

Job offer mortgage approval: the reserves math

Hypothetical: Ankit, a green card holder moving from San Jose to Austin, is buying a $600,000 home with 10% down. His loan is $540,000.

• Principal and interest at the Freddie Mac weekly average of 7.40% (30-year fixed, Oct 15, 2026; illustration only, not a quote or offer): about $3,739.

• Assume taxes and insurance of $1,050 a month (illustrative; Texas property taxes vary widely). PITIA ≈ $4,789.

Option 2 reserve method	Calculation	Amount
Six months' PITIA	6 × $4,789	~$28,733
All DTI debts through start month + 1 (closing Nov 20, start Jan 5)	Roughly 3 months × ($4,789 PITIA + $600 car payment)	~$16,167

The lender documents whichever applies, and that's on top of any reserves DU already requires. Partial months count as full months. These reserves can include retirement balances and other eligible assets, not just cash.

If you're coming from the Bay Area, our Bay Area to Texas mortgage payment comparison shows how the payment picture shifts.

Talk to a loan officer who's seen this before: Send us your offer letter and we'll tell you in two minutes which option fits and how much reserve you'd need. Start your pre-approval check.

What counts as income when you start after closing

Option 2 counts fixed base income only. That has big implications for tech offers, where base salary may be half the total package.

Offer component	Option 2	Option 1 / after you have history
Base salary	Counts	Counts
Annual target bonus	Doesn't count	Generally needs a receipt history first
Sign-on bonus	Doesn't count as income	Generally not income; may help as an asset once paid
Sign-on RSUs	Not eligible	Not eligible (B3-3.3-07)
Ongoing time-based RSUs	Doesn't count	Generally need 12 months with the employer
Relocation package	Not income	Not income; may cover moving costs

So if your offer is $190,000 base plus $60,000 bonus target plus RSUs, the lender qualifies you on $190,000, or about $15,833 a month. For more on bonus timing, see sign-on, relocation and annual bonus as mortgage income. For RSUs after you've built history, see RSU income and mortgage qualification.

Start date after closing: what to watch

Non-contingent means non-contingent. If the offer is conditional on a background check, drug test or licensing, Option 2 requires the lender to confirm those conditions are satisfied before closing, documented in the file. Get the employer's written clearance early.

Don't change the start date casually. Push it from January 5 to March 15 and you might fall outside the 90-day window. Tell your loan officer before agreeing to any shift.

Keep the reserves where they are. Moving money around between approval and closing creates new sourcing questions.

Relocation reimbursements aren't income. They may cover moving costs, but they won't help your DTI.

H-1B transfers and offer letters

If you're an H-1B worker moving to a new employer, the lender will look at two things: the offer letter (for income) and your work authorization for that employer (for continuance and legal presence).

H-1B portability generally lets you start with a new employer once the new petition is filed. From a mortgage file standpoint, lenders typically want the I-797 receipt or approval for the new employer's petition alongside the offer letter. Some lenders want the approval, not just the receipt; that's an overlay, and it's one reason we shop multiple lenders. Timing a petition around a closing is a question for your immigration attorney, not your loan officer. Our guide to changing jobs on an H-1B during the mortgage process covers what to send and when.

What the rules actually say

• Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-3.3-03, Employment Offers or Contracts (10/07/2026; SEL-2026-09): Option 1 requires the most recent paystub before loan delivery; Option 2 is limited to purchase, principal residence, one unit, fixed base income, start date from 30 days before to 90 days after the note date, non-contingent offer, plus 6 months' PITIA or debts through start month plus one.

• Both options: executed offer showing employer, borrower, position, pay and start date; verbal VOE; employer can't be a family member or interested party; qualify using the offer letter's monthly income.

• Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-3.3-07 (10/07/2026): sign-on RSUs are not eligible income; time-based RSUs need 12 months with the current employer (as of October 2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I close on a house before I start my new job?
A: Yes, under Fannie Mae's Option 2, if it's a purchase of a one-unit primary residence, you qualify on base salary, your offer is non-contingent, and your start date is no more than 90 days after closing. You'll need extra reserves. Individual lenders may add stricter rules.

Q: Do I need a paystub to get a mortgage with an offer letter?
A: Not necessarily before closing. Under Option 1, the lender needs it before delivering the loan to Fannie Mae, though many lenders require it before closing. Under Option 2, no paystub is needed before delivery, in exchange for tighter eligibility and extra reserves.

Q: Does my sign-on bonus count as income for a mortgage?
A: Generally no. Under Option 2 only fixed base income counts, and a one-time sign-on bonus lacks the history lenders need. Once paid and deposited, it may help as an asset for down payment or reserves. Sign-on RSUs aren't eligible as income.

Q: How much in reserves do I need with an offer letter?
A: Under Option 2, either six months of the new home's PITIA or enough to cover all your DTI debts from closing through your start month plus one, on top of any other reserve requirement. Under Option 1, this rule adds no extra reserves.

Q: Can I use an offer letter if I'm transferring my H-1B?
A: Often yes. Lenders review your offer letter for income and the new employer's H-1B petition receipt or approval for work authorization. Some lenders require the approval notice. Timing the petition is a question for your immigration attorney.

Start your two-minute pre-approval check with your offer letter

Send us your signed offer, start date, target city and savings snapshot. We'll tell you whether Option 1 or Option 2 fits, how much reserve you'd need, what you can afford on base salary alone, and which lenders handle future-start files without extra overlays. We shop 150+ wholesale lenders, are licensed nationwide, and help relocating tech hires every week. Book a free 15-minute call at /contact, start your application at /apply, or call 713-366-4668.

Masala Loans is a brand of Matador Lending, LLC (NMLS #2072896). Written by Apurva Sanghavi, President, NMLS #227127. Equal Housing Opportunity. This article is general education, not tax, legal or immigration advice — consult a qualified CPA, attorney or immigration lawyer for your situation. Program availability, rates and terms vary by lender and borrower and are subject to change; not a commitment to lend.