How can I get a mortgage in this situation?

[Evan Hacker]

I am 28 years old and I teach English in China. I plan to move back to the US in either summer or fall and I would prefer to buy a property rather than pay rent to someone else. 

I have:

- a good amount for a down payment (around $40K+)

- an excellent credit score over 800

BUT:

My current and past few year salary is very low (under $20k/year) which is high in China because cost of living is much cheaper. And the job I plan to do in the US (Real Estate Agent) is 100% commission based, so I think I will be denied a mortgage from almost everywhere. 

Any tips/ideas or advice on how to handle this situation??

Thank you

[Michael Plante]

Buy as a rental 

pay the 20% down see if you qualify based upon expected rental income