You Don’t Need a Social Security Number to Buy a Home

If you live and work in Florida, pay your taxes with an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), and want to own the home you’re living in — you can. ITIN mortgage lending is legal, established, and more competitive than it’s ever been. No Social Security number, no green card required.

These loans exist for exactly the people banks turn away at the front desk: the self-employed contractor who’s been filing returns with an ITIN for a decade, the family that’s been renting the same house for years while paying more than a mortgage would cost, the business owner whose income is real but doesn’t fit a W-2 box. Florida runs on this workforce, and the loan programs have finally caught up.

How Much Down? The Real Numbers

Your down payment depends on how you document income and whether you have a credit score. Current guidelines, Florida-specific:

One thing to watch out for: you’ll see “89% LTV ITIN loans” advertised online. That top tier is real nationally, but Florida guidelines cap ITIN purchases at 85% financing and refinances at 75%. Anyone quoting you 89% on a Florida property either doesn’t know their own guidelines or is hoping you won’t check. We check.

No U.S. Credit History? There’s a Path

ITIN programs are built around thin or nonexistent U.S. credit. With no credit score at all, you can still purchase a single-family home with 35% down. With one score of 640+, financing rises to 70%. With full scores, you get the top tiers in the table above.

What every tier does require is 12 months of clean housing payments — rent or mortgage, no 30-day lates. If you pay rent in cash, start documenting it now (money orders, a letter from your landlord, bank transfers). That single paper trail does more for your approval than almost anything else.

Family Can Help: Gift Funds and Gift of Equity

Two rules make family the secret weapon of ITIN buying. First, gift funds: on a primary home, your entire down payment can be gifted at up to 80% financing — a parent or sibling can put you in a house. Second, gift of equity: buying from a family member? They can gift you the equity, and current guidelines allow up to 75% financing with zero money out of your own pocket. If a relative is selling you the home you already rent from them, that deal can often close with no down payment at all.

Self-Employed? Your Bank Statements Are Your Income

Most ITIN borrowers we work with are self-employed, and the programs are built for it. Twelve or 24 months of bank statements stand in for tax returns — underwriting averages your deposits and applies an expense factor for your type of business. Or skip statements entirely with a P&L-only option prepared by a licensed CPA, enrolled agent, or CTEC preparer. It works the same way as our self-employed mortgage programs, just for ITIN holders.

What You’ll Need

• Your ITIN assignment letter from the IRS (CP565), plus a passport or government-issued photo ID
• Income documentation — W-2s/paystubs, tax returns, 12–24 months of bank statements, or a CPA-prepared P&L
• 12 months of housing payment history with no 30-day lates
• Reserves — about 3 months of house payments in the bank after closing (more at higher financing tiers)
• Your down payment — own funds or documented gift funds

The Straight Talk on Rates — and on DACA

ITIN mortgage rates run higher than conventional rates — there’s no way around that, because FHA, VA, USDA and conventional loans all require a Social Security number. What you’re buying is access: a fixed 30-year loan, real equity instead of rent receipts, and a payment that never goes up while Florida rents keep climbing.

One important exception: DACA recipients with a valid SSN and work authorization can qualify for FHA at 3.5% down with normal rates — a far better deal than any ITIN program. DACA and asylum applicants are also eligible on the ITIN programs themselves. If you’re not sure which lane you’re in, that’s a two-minute conversation that can save you tens of thousands — ask before you apply for anything.

ITIN Home Loan FAQ