Types Of Assets To Include On Your Mortgage Application

Here’s a quick tip when you’re filling out your mortgage application: Don’t underestimate the importance of including all of your assets. It could make a difference in the type of mortgage you qualify for and interest rate you receive.

We’ll walk you through the assets you should include to make sure you get the right mortgage loan for you.

When a lender goes over your home loan application, they’ll take a look at your credit score, total monthly debt and total monthly income as well as your overall net worth. Your net worth matters because it tells your lender how much money – between your income and assets – you really have.

You might wonder how net worth is calculated. Your lender will subtract all of the debts you owe from your total assets in order to calculate your net worth, which will give them a better picture of how much money you actually have.

Your net worth allows a lender to get a better picture of how you will make your mortgage payments, down payment and closing costs.

They’ll also take your assets into consideration to determine how you’d make your payments if you lost your job – could you stay afloat for a few months? Your lender can decide how risky of a borrower you are by taking a look at not only checking and savings accounts, but also the amount of equity you have tied up in assets.

What are assets, anyway? Assets are items you own that have a monetary value. They are usually grouped into three categories: cash, cash equivalents and property. The value of your total assets usually increases throughout your life.

Your income and salary information will be required on your mortgage application – but this is not an actual asset. Let’s walk through each asset type in more detail so you can be sure you list everything of value on your mortgage application.

1. Cash And Cash Equivalent Assets

Be sure to list all of your cash and cash equivalents on your mortgage application. These assets include any cash you have on hand, the money in all of your checking or savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and more. In other words, any money you have in accounts that could be pulled out as cash should be listed.

2. Physical Assets

Physical assets include anything tangible that you own that’s valuable – anything that can be touched. Physical assets that can be sold for funds to be used to qualify for a mortgage include – but are not limited to – properties, homes, cars, boats, RVs, jewelry and artwork.

If you plan to use physical assets as assets to qualify, they'll need to be sold before you close on the home. Property value guidelines and the type of documentation required to qualify vary depending on the type of loan you're getting, so we recommend you speak with one of our Home Loan Experts about your personal situation.

3. Nonphysical Assets

Nonphysical assets aren’t as liquid – and they don’t have a physical presence like a house or car. Pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, bonds, stocks and even royalties fall into this category. You might be able to get rid of them or even borrow from them, but it would require planning.

4. Liquid Assets

Any nonphysical asset that you can instantly convert to cash would fall into this category, like readily tradable bonds or stocks. Liquid assets are different from nonphysical assets because you can easily trade them for cash within a short amount of time.

5. Fixed Assets

There are some physical assets that may take longer to receive cash for, such as furniture, some real estate and antiques. This is because you have to work to sell them – it usually doesn’t happen instantly. Fixed assets’ values can change from the time that you buy them. You can report them as fixed assets on your loan application with their most current value.

6. Equity Assets

If you have any retirement accounts, stocks or mutual funds, these are considered equity assets. Be sure to include these on your home loan application.

7. Fixed-Income Assets

Fixed-income assets include any investment funds that have been lent in exchange for interest. This typically includes government bonds and some securities.

Lenders will take all of your assets into consideration when you apply for a mortgage, but there are a few that tend to carry more weight. Your cash and cash equivalent assets and any liquid assets rank highly because they are easily and quickly accessible. In a bind, you could use these funds to pay your mortgage.

Physical assets also rank high on the list for lenders because you can typically convert them into cash quickly. Selling your car or jewelry often does not take long, so if you had to sell one car in order to make mortgage payments, you could do so in a reasonable amount of time.

Some assets have a clear value, like cash and stocks. But you may have questions about the actual worth of some of your physical items, like your car, home or artwork. The best way to find out the most current value of these items is to hire an appraiser to review them and determine their value.

You can hire a car, real estate or art appraiser to view the current condition of your assets so you have an accurate number to report on your loan application. You can also use online appraisal calculators, but keep in mind that these calculators will not be as accurate as hiring a professional.

It may be a good move to buy insurance to protect your assets. Some of your assets may already be insured – certain laws or lending regulations mandate that your home or your car are insured.

Your home insurance may cover the value of some of your belongings, but if you have high-value jewelry, you might consider purchasing separate insurance or add on to your existing home insurance plan. For example, you’ll typically pay $1 – $2 for each $100 of value for jewelry coverage.

You can also protect your income in the event that you are not able to work due to a physical injury or illness. Your job may provide disability insurance, but you also might want to purchase your own policy in case you are hurt or injured outside of work.

After listing your assets on your application, your lender will verify that all of your financial information is correct. They’ll need to make sure that all assets are really yours and that they are traceable.

This means if you have large amounts of cash deposits going into a checking or savings account and the source can’t be traced, your lender might ask some questions. Let’s say you tend to cash your check and then deposit cash for your bills into your account. This could show up as a red flag when your lender reviews your banking history. It’s always better to deposit your check and then pull out the cash you need.

Your lender will also check your overdraft history. If you frequently overdraw on your account – you spend more money than is available to you – this will show up as a red flag during your lender’s verification process. It could cause your lender to deny your loan request.

Your lender might have questions about your physical assets. In this case, you can give your lender your appraisal report or insurance policy, which should answer any questions about an asset’s current value. This paperwork must be in your name to prove you are the owner.

It might be a good idea to reach out to a qualified financial professional before you fill out any loan paperwork. Schedule an appointment with your accountant to review your assets and make sure there are no red flags that might prevent you from getting your loan approval.

Don’t have an accountant? You can find one by talking to trusted friends or colleagues, doing research on the best accountants in your area or checking with your real estate agent.

Do you still have questions about the assets you should include on your mortgage application? Keep reading to get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Can I get a mortgage based on assets alone?

Assets are one factor that lenders look at when approving a mortgage application, but it’s not all you need. Lenders also want to see proof of income and a low DTI ratio, among other things.

There are certain instances where assets can be counted as income. For example, a lender may do this if you’re retired and draw from your retirement account for living expenses.

What is considered an asset for a mortgage?

Assets can be any item you own that has monetary value. As discussed above, there are several different kinds of assets, categorized based on whether it is a physical object and how quickly the asset can be turned into cash.

Is cash an asset? 

Lenders do consider cash to be an asset. Your lender may ask questions about where your cash came from if it was recently deposited into your account.

Is my 401(k) an asset?

401(k)s are nonphysical assets and your lender will likely take them into consideration when assessing your mortgage application. Be sure to consult with a financial advisor to make sure there won’t be negative consequences if you use your 401(k) to buy a house.

How can I show proof of assets?

In most instances, you’ll need to provide documents to show proof of assets. The specific documents you need will depend on the type of asset, but brokerage statements and bank statements are commonly used to show proof of assets.

Your assets play an important role in the home loan approval process. You should list all of your valuable assets on your mortgage application to improve your chances of approval on a high loan amount. Make sure you can verify the value of all of your assets and prove that they belong to you, through insurance policies or appraisal reports.

You might need help reviewing your assets and deciding what to include on your home loan application. If that’s the case, reach out to a certified accountant who can review your finances with you.

If you are ready to get started on your mortgage application, get preapproved with Rocket Mortgage® today. You can also give us a call at (833) 326-6018.