Does rental income from a second unit help me qualify for a mortgage?

Rental income from a second unit can count toward mortgage qualification, since many lenders will credit a portion of that income against the buyer's debt-to-income ratio. The exact share a lender counts depends on the loan program, whether the buyer already has landlord experience, and whether the income is documented through a lease or an appraiser's rent schedule. Lenders on owner-occupied multi-unit loans often use this rule to help a buyer afford a larger property than a single-family purchase would allow. A lender can confirm exactly how much of that specific unit's rent will count before a buyer makes an offer.