I changed jobs or took time off. Can I still get a mortgage?

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Illustrative image of engineer meeting a colleague in a workshop — Illustrative image. Not a photo of the people discussed.

In one file, the employer could not provide the income breakdown we needed. The borrower helped clarify the job dates and offered earlier pay records.

One detail mattered: this was a break between jobs, not temporary leave from the same employer.

Before I can answer the loan question, I need the work history to tell the right story.

Start with what actually changed

Did you move to a new employer? Return after a break? Change from salary to hourly work? Start earning overtime or commission?

Those are different situations. We should not describe a resignation and a new job as a leave of absence just because that sounds simpler on a form.

A job change does not automatically rule out a mortgage. It also does not tell us, by itself, what income the lender can use.

Break the pay into its parts

A fixed salary, changing hours and overtime may need different calculations and documentation.

Ask the team which parts of your pay it is counting and what is still needed. You do not necessarily need two years at the same employer, but the lender still has to evaluate the work history and reliability of the income.

Make the timeline easy to follow

List the relevant job start and end dates.
Explain any break in employment.
Identify your current pay structure.
Provide the pay records and employer information requested.
Tell us promptly if a document is unavailable.

Then we can ask what other evidence the lender will accept. Guessing at missing pay or dates makes the review harder.

I would rather start with an accurate timeline than give you a quick answer built on the wrong employment story. That gives us a useful next step, even when the file needs more work.

This example is based on a real mortgage discussion with identifying information removed. Any numbers are illustrative and are not current loan terms or a commitment to lend. Loan programs, rates, property values and borrower qualification vary.

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