Planning to buy a home while self-employed? Lenders review two years of tax returns, making early preparation essential. Discover three strategic steps to separate your finances, simplify your business entities, and work with your CPA and mortgage broker to maximize your borrowing power before applying.

Step 1: Crush Your Credit Card Utilization Ratio (The Fastest Boost) The Credit Utilization Ratio (CUR)—the amount of credit you're using divided by your total available credit—accounts for about 30% of your FICO score and is the fastest factor to change. Lenders want to see your CUR below 30% , but aiming for under 10% provides a powerful score boost. Action: Pay down your revolving credit card balances aggressively. Pro Tip for Speed: Don't wait for your statement. Pa