Advice on Getting a Lender/Financing

[Seth Roland]

Hello all,

I'm just starting out on this journey. I'm 24 and still in the "learning stage" but want to move forward on my first purchase in the next ~12 months. I want to narrow in on using the BRRRR strategy, but turnkey rentals are also intriguing. (I'm in the middle of Brandon Turner's book Rental Property Investing. Next is probably his book on Investing with No and Low Money Down. More book recs are welcome!)

My question for this post is about financing and finding a lender so I am ready when the time comes to buy my first property. I want to know how much I can get approved for and what steps to take to figure this out. My financial situation is somewhat unique, so I’m sharing the details below in case anyone can provide guidance.

1. I am self-employed. I run a business called Woodnotch (we make nice pens, if anyone needs one 😉). Most of my income is reinvested back into the business, which means my reported income is relatively low due to write-offs.

2. I have saved $25k over the last 18 months and continue saving $1500/month from my job. I also have another $25k investment coming back to me by the beginning of 2026.

3. I am co-owner of a $900k property and co-signer on the $400k refi loan. I am not the one making the payments, but it's still on my credit report.

My limited income, combined with being a co-signer on the loan, results in a less-than-ideal DTI ratio.

Under these circumstances, what type of loan or lender should I focus on? Are there options that are less dependent on reported income, such as a bank statement loan that I should be looking into?

Thank you for taking the time to read all this! Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated.