Hey guys, the past few years have been frustrating for me - I am self-employed and qualify in every way for a mortgage except for NET income because I write off a lot of expenses for tax purposes. Being in a tough industry with slim profit margins, we usually try to minimize our tax bill each year. Is the answer really to take the tax hit for a couple years, then hope that it's enough income to qualify? Is NET income exclusively derived from tax returns? Whenever I've spoken to bankers/lenders in the past, NET income is the wall we can't get past. Is private money my only option? We don't really want to wait 2 more years to show the amount of NET income needed on tax returns. 

I can easily afford a house payment each month and am trying to find a house for my army veteran mom. She has had a hard life and deserves to settle down to live her final years in peace. We are seeking something modest, 300k tops, but NET income on my tax returns continues to be the bane of our existence. Should I try to find a co-signer? No one in my family can do it. Private money? Any ideas would be sincerely appreciated, my mom will most likely have to move this year due to the landlord selling the property she currently rents.