Attending first home purchase
Your first attending job is when income jumps and housing decisions get real: maybe you rented through residency, maybe you own a training-city condo you no longer need, and maybe you are buying in a new metro with a higher price point. This guide walks through documentation and program choice without quoting rates or lender maximums.
Employment documentation checklist
- Signed employment contract or offer letter with start date and base salary.
- Pay stubs once payroll begins — usually one or two before closing.
- License verification if required by the lender for your specialty.
- Student loan statements updated within the last month.
- Asset statements for down payment and reserves.
Physician loan vs conventional at attending income
Attending income can make conventional financing viable even with student debt, especially if you have reserves for a larger down payment. Physician programs may still help if you want a lower down payment or need alternative student-debt treatment. Enter rate quotes from your loan officer into the comparison tool — identical assumptions on both sides — and compare monthly payment and cash to close.
Disposing of the training home
If you own a home from residency, decide sell vs rent before you apply for the attending purchase. Two mortgages plus student loans compress DTI quickly. If you sell, coordinate closings so you are not carrying double payments longer than necessary. If you rent, get a lease and understand how much rent the new lender will credit — do not assume 100%.
Price range discipline
Attending income feels abundant until student loan, taxes, and lifestyle catch up. Use the student debt tool with a realistic housing payment before you set a max price with your agent. Pre-approval amount is a ceiling, not a target.
Program pages on this site
Signing bonus and relocation packages
Attending offers sometimes include signing bonuses or relocation assistance. Lenders may require the bonus to be received before it counts toward assets, or may average it over time. Get written guidance on how your lender treats one-time payments before you allocate them to down payment on paper.
Dual-physician households
Two attendings with combined student debt need a joint DTI picture. One spouse on a physician program and the other on conventional is possible but adds coordination. Compare scenarios together using the same home price and down payment assumptions in the comparison tool.
Rate lock timing
Lock policies are lender-specific. This site does not discuss lock length or float-down options. Focus pre-approval on the amount and conditions; negotiate rate details after you have a contract if that fits your lender's process.
Frequently asked questions
- When does W-2 history matter?
- Conventional programs often want two years of W-2 income. New attendings may still use physician programs with an employment contract until pay stubs accumulate.
- Can I keep my resident home as a rental?
- Often yes, if reserves and DTI work. Rental income treatment is lender-specific — confirm before counting on it.
Talk through your scenario
First attending buy — tell us if you still own your training-city home.
Start my applicationAttending first purchase checklist
First home after training — documents and decisions in one place.
Employment
- Signed employment contract with compensation
- Pay stubs after attending payroll starts
- Explanation of any gap between training end and job start
Prior home
- Decision: sell, rent, or retain training-city property
- If selling, estimated net proceeds and timeline
- If renting, lease and projected cash flow
Program choice
- Physician loan quote with your down payment assumption
- Conventional quote with same assumptions
- Saved comparison tool permalink to share with loan officer