...and you should. I keep hearing versions of the same story from agents lately, dead deals that could have been avoided with the right questions asked early. Just this week an agent told me a story of calling a buyer's lender directly to ask if a verification of employment had been done. She was told it does not happen until the week before closing. When it finally did, it turned out the buyer had taken so much time off that not a single paycheck reflected a full week of work. Another agent shared a deal that almost made it to the finish line, appraisals and inspections paid for, before the loan was denied, because the buyer was transferring states for work and was going to take a pay cut once the move happened.

Neither buyer did anything wrong. They just did not know what to ask, and no one had cross referenced the information in the application with actual documentation early enough to catch a problem before it became one.

Here are a few common income related situations worth understanding, along with the questions that can help you protect yourself before you get too far into a search.

Working fewer than 40 hours some weeks? Inconsistent (under 40) or part time hours are often treated as variable income. If a buyer has not worked a variable income position for a full year, even if the most recent stubs show full time hours, it can derail a file that looked fine on paper. If you have gotten a raise since the start of the year, provide the pay stubs before and after for accurate calculations. If you have taken unpaid time off for a one off situation, work with your lender and employer to document those dates.

Ask your lender if they cross referenced your year to date income from your pay stub with your hourly pay to make sure the figures check out.

Started a new job or changed pay structure in the last year? A new job can change how income above and beyond your base wages gets counted. If you started a new job recently, you may not be able to use overtime, bonus, or any other similar types of pay to qualify since that kind of income typically needs an established history before it can be averaged out. If you have a history of receiving income outside of base wages at a previous similar position, provide pay stubs to see if you can make a case to use averages over different employers.

Ask your lender directly how a recent job change affects being able to use additional types of income you may have input on your application.

Working remotely and planning to relocate? Moving to a new state can change the terms of your position, even if the job itself does not change. Some employers that allow you to work remotely still require you to remain close to a home office. If pay or structure shifts because of the move, that has to be accounted for before shopping, not discovered mid process. A conversation with your boss ahead of time to make sure the move won't come with a pay cut or put your job at risk should always take place.

Ask your lender if they have confirmed your pay and terms will stay the same after relocating, in writing, not just assumed.

Recently divorced and receiving alimony or child support? Alimony or child support can count as income but only under specific documentation and timing rules. A lender should be reviewing your actual divorce decree and supporting documentation, not just asking whether you pay or receive support. Buyers going through this transition often assume their finances work one way when the guidelines see it differently. A lender needs to confirm any income used has been received for a certain timeframe and that it is likely to continue for 3 full years after you get keys.

Ask your lender what documentation, beyond the divorce decree, is needed to confirm that support has been received and will continue.

If any of the above feel like what your income situation looks like, the questions here are worth asking before you get too far into shopping for a new home. Many of these answers can come from requesting an up-front verification of employment to get your pay breakdown and any other pertinent information. A lender who welcomes these questions is doing their job. One who brushes past them, or leaves you without a real answer, is telling you something too. Silence or a runaround is an answer in itself.