Does Washington ESD unemployment count as income for mortgage applications?

That's what I was afraid of. How long do I typically need to be back at work before applying?

Usually they want to see at least 30-60 days of employment with paystubs, sometimes longer depending on the lender.

My wife works full time making about $65k. Would that help our case at all?

Absolutely! If her income alone qualifies you for the loan amount you need, that changes everything. You might be able to apply with just her income.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

How would I get that documentation? My online account just shows my weekly claim history.

You'd probably need to call Washington ESD and request a benefit verification letter. They can provide official documentation of your claim.

I understand the frustration, but lenders have to follow federal guidelines about income stability. Unemployment benefits are designed to be temporary by nature.

temporary or not its still money coming in every week. ridiculous that they wont count it

We're worried about interest rates going up more though. Feels like we're stuck between bad options.

I felt the same way last year but ended up getting a better deal after waiting a few months and getting back to work. Sometimes patience pays off.

That's a good idea. I'll call around to some local credit unions tomorrow.

Definitely worth trying. Explain your situation and employment prospects - some will work with you if they see you as low risk overall.

How long did it take Claimyr to get you connected to someone at Washington ESD?

Usually same day, sometimes within a few hours. Way better than spending all day trying to call myself.

Yeah I've been keeping track. Using WorkSourceWA mostly for applications.

WorkSourceWA counts as one contact per week max, make sure you're doing other applications too or you might have issues.

VA loans follow similar guidelines - they want stable, continuing income. Unemployment benefits typically don't qualify there either.

figures. everything is stacked against regular people trying to buy homes

Good point. We haven't actually run the numbers with just her income yet.

Definitely do that before you get too attached to any particular house. Better to know your limits upfront.

We only have about 10% saved for down payment. 25% would be impossible for us right now.

Yeah that's tough. Might need to wait and save more or find work first. Every situation is different though.

Definitely not planning to lie about anything. Just trying to understand what counts as income.

Smart approach. Honesty is always the best policy with mortgage applications.

Is there a cost for using Claimyr or is it free?

There is a fee but honestly it was worth it to avoid spending entire days trying to get through myself. Time is money.

We looked into those but most still require stable employment history. Worth checking again though.

Programs change all the time so definitely worth a second look. Local housing authorities might have different options.

Good advice. I've got a couple promising leads right now so hopefully I'll be back to work soon.

Fingers crossed for you! The job market seems to be picking up lately.

I see your point but we've been saving for years and rent keeps going up. Feels like we're throwing money away.

I understand that feeling but a mortgage payment plus maintenance costs might be more than you think. Just be careful.

Will do! Planning to talk to a few more lenders this week and see what options we have.

Thanks! Good luck with everything.