Can a job I have not started yet count for a home loan?

Starting a new job and buying a home often collide: you have signed for a great role, but you have not started yet, so a lender has no payslips to look at. Some lenders can work with this. Here is how future or contract income tends to be treated.

The challenge of not having started

Normally a lender wants payslips showing income you are already receiving. If you have signed for a new job but not started, there are no payslips yet, which can stall an application even though your income is effectively locked in by a contract. This is a common situation for people changing jobs or relocating.

Some lenders accept a signed contract

Some lenders will consider income from a signed employment contract for a role that is due to start soon, often within around three months. They are relying on the contract as evidence that the income is coming, rather than on payslips you do not yet have. Whether a lender does this, and the timeframe it accepts, varies.

Who this commonly helps

This can help people such as teachers moving between schools, graduates with a signed offer, and professionals relocating for a new corporate role. In each case there is a firm, documented job lined up, which is exactly the situation these policies are designed for.

What lenders generally want

Lenders considering future income generally want the signed employment contract, a clear start date, and details of the salary and terms. The stronger and clearer the documentation, the more comfortable a lender can be. A vague or conditional offer is harder to rely on than a firm signed contract.

Probation and conditions

Some lenders are cautious about roles that have not commenced or are subject to probation, while others are comfortable. Conditions can include the start date falling within a set window or settlement aligning with the job starting. The treatment varies, which is why matching to the right lender matters.

Same field gives extra comfort

A lender is more comfortable where the new role continues a career in the same field, since that reinforces the reliability of the income. A complete change of field with no track record is harder to assess than a move within an established career.

Find a lender that will consider it

Because future income policies vary, the useful step is to match your situation to a lender that will consider a signed contract on your timeline. A broker can identify those lenders and present the contract in the strongest way, usually at no cost to you. This is general information, not advice.