Probation comes up constantly on frontline files, because the hiring pattern almost guarantees it. People are hired in classes, they buy when the job finally lands, and the probation clock is still running when they find the house.
What the lender is actually worried about
Not the word probation. The concern is whether the income continues. A probationary period is evidence that employment could end quickly, so a lender wants something that makes continuation likely.
What usually helps
- A permanent, full time offer rather than a contract or a casual line
- A move within the same field, with no gap in service
- Time already served in the same role somewhere else
- A larger down payment
- An employer letter that spells out the terms rather than a stub on its own
Same field moves
Someone who has done the job for six years at one service and started at another last month is not the same risk as someone starting the career, even though both are technically on probation. Lenders that understand the field will treat those two files differently, which is exactly why the choice of lender matters more here than the rate does.
If you are early
Talk before you make an offer, not after. Knowing which lenders will work with your situation changes what you can safely offer on and how long a closing you should be asking for.
Policies differ by lender and change over time. Bring your offer letter and we will tell you where the file actually fits.
Your next useful step
Turn what you just read into a purchase range using your income, down payment and timing.
