How a Tech Employee Bought a $950K Home Using RSU Income

Our client was a software engineer at Amazon with four years of tenure and a strong compensation package: $180,000 base salary plus approximately $120,000 per year in restricted stock units (RSUs). With a total annual income exceeding $300,000, the borrower was well-positioned financially to purchase a home in Bellevue's competitive market.

The problem? Two previous lenders had already denied the application. Both were unable — or unwilling — to count RSU income as qualifying income. Without the stock compensation, the borrower's $180K base salary alone limited purchasing power to roughly $700K — well below the target price range.

We calculated a 2-year average of the borrower's vested RSU income using W-2 documentation and brokerage statements showing the value at vesting. By documenting both the consistency of the grants (four consecutive years of vesting) and the reasonable expectation of continued grants based on the employer's equity refresh program, we established RSU income as stable and ongoing.

Combined with the $180K base salary, the qualifying income came to approximately $280,000 annually — enough to comfortably support a $950K purchase with 15% down ($142,500).

For the loan product, we recommended a 7/1 adjustable-rate mortgage. The rationale was strategic: data shows the average tenure at a single tech company is 4–6 years, and many tech employees refinance or sell before the adjustment period begins. The 7/1 ARM offered a lower initial rate compared to a 30-year fixed, saving the borrower roughly $280/month during the fixed period.