Lesson 1 - Stability with a W-2 Baseline

Hey, it’s Seth, and welcome to Module 1 of The 5% Down Blueprint!

At 26, I turned $15,700 into a path for $5 million in lifetime wealth… with one duplex.

How? By mastering the financial prep for a 5% down multifamily loan. Today, I’m giving you the exact steps to qualify for your first investment property in as little as 7 days.

Let’s dive in!

LESSON 1: Stability with a W-2 Baseline

First, you need financial stability to impress lenders.

A steady W-2 job—yep, your 9-to-5—is gold.

It shows banks: ‘This person gets paid. Every two weeks. Like clockwork.’ Don’t have a W-2? No sweat.

Freelancers, Door Dash drivers, content creators—you can qualify too.

But you’ll need 2 years of consistent income via:

• Tax returns (Schedule C or K-1)

• 1099s

• Bank deposits (12–24 months)

Example: I had a student—Uber driver, $68K/year gross.

He used bank deposits + 1099s → pre-approved in 3 days.

Action Step #1: Self-Audit or DTI with the ‘Debt-to-Income’ page of the Master Rental Calculator (Below).

• Pull your last 3 paystubs OR 1099s.

• Calculate your average monthly income and expenses.

• Lenders want your debt-to-income ratio under 43%.

That’s:

Total monthly debt ÷ gross monthly income <= 0.43

Example:

• Income: $6,000/mo

• Debts: $2,100 (student, car, cards, new mortgage)
  → DTI = $2,100 ÷ $6,000 = 35% → GREEN LIGHT

I’ll show you exactly how to calculate this in the Bonus: ‘Debt-To-Income’ Calculator (below).

Don’t have the right Debt-To-Income? Book a 15-minute strategy call and we can talk about your exact situation! I will give you one clear action to take next.