Mortgage approved (thanks to my banker)!

Two weeks ago I got a surprise e-mail from my banker about my mortgage application. He said that my student loans could be a problem with my mortgage approval. Basically, underwriting had to consider the monthly loan payment at 1% of the outstanding loan balance, even though I'm on income based repayment and my monthly loan payment is significantly lower.  The result, my monthly income to liabilities ratio was busted.

What was the fix? Rental income! When I first applied for the mortgage, I included a printout of my BP real estate analysis. With the purchase agreement, I requested and received copies of the leases, also which I submitted to the banker. My banker's quick idea, which he wasn't sure would work, was to include the rental income to increase my monthly income. Thankfully, it did. Underwriting was allowed to increase my income based on the rental income from the current tenants! 

Viola, mortgage approved!  Next steps, closing...