A few years ago, if you told a bank you made your money as a food delivery rider, a freelance designer, or by selling handmade jewellery on Etsy, you’d probably get a polite smile… followed by a “no” to your home loan application.
Fast forward to today, and things are shifting. Lenders are starting to recognise the reality: the gig economy is here to stay, and many are making solid, reliable incomes from it.
If you’ve got a side hustle — whether it’s part-time dog walking, driving for Uber, tutoring maths, or running a weekend market stall — you can turn it into a powerful asset for your loan application. The trick is knowing how to present it in a way that makes lenders nod “yes” instead of shaking their heads.
Here’s how.
1. Treat your side hustle like a “real” business
Lenders love stability and predictability. That means your side hustle can’t look like a hobby — it needs to look like a legitimate source of income.
This means:
- Separate your money: Open a separate bank account for your side hustle so income and expenses are crystal clear.
- Keep proper records: Use a bookkeeping app or spreadsheet to track earnings and expenses.
- Get an ABN: In Australia, having an Australian Business Number signals you’re operating seriously and legally.
Even if you only make a few hundred a week, treating your hustle like a business instantly gives it more weight in the eyes of a lender.
2. Show a track record
If your gig work is brand new, most lenders won’t count it as income straight away. They generally want to see at least 12 months to two years of consistent earnings, depending on the lender and your overall application.
The more history you can show, the better. That might mean holding off applying for your home loan until you’ve built a stronger record — or working with a broker who knows which lenders are more flexible for newer side hustles.
3. Prove your income (and make it look good)
The golden rule: if it’s not on paper, it doesn’t exist for lenders. Cash-in-hand jobs or income without invoices won’t count.
To make your income “real” in the lender’s eyes:
- Deposit everything into your bank account (even if it’s cash).
- File proper tax returns showing your side hustle earnings.
- Keep invoices, receipts, and contracts where possible.
If your tax returns show you’re earning more than the lender’s minimum thresholds — and your expenses are reasonable — your application gets a boost.
4. Keep your expenses lean
Here’s a sneaky truth: lenders don’t just look at what you earn, they look at what you spend.
If your gig work involves buying supplies, paying platform fees, or fuelling up your car every second day, those costs eat into the income figure the lender will use.
Where possible, streamline your expenses so your net income looks healthier. A good mortgage broker can help you work out how much of your earnings a lender is likely to count.
5. Combine your incomes smartly
If you’ve got a part-time or full-time job and a side hustle, lenders can combine them — but only if your extra income is consistent and verifiable.
For example:
- A part-time teacher in earning $60,000 per year plus $13,000 annually from tutoring.
- A hospitality worker pulling $50,000 from their main job plus $9,000 driving Uber on weekends.
Those extra thousands can bump you into a better borrowing range, making the difference between “almost enough” and “just right”.
6. Work with the right lender (and broker)
Not all lenders are created equal when it comes to gig economy income. Some will only accept Uber driving or freelance earnings if you’ve been doing it for two years. Others might accept it after six months, provided it’s regular and well-documented.
This is where working with a mortgage broker who understands the quirks of gig income can save you weeks of frustration. At Dream Catchers Lending, we’ve helped side hustlers turn their extra earnings into real borrowing power—without getting tangled in red tape.
7. Tell your story
Numbers matter, but so does context. If your gig income has grown steadily over the past year, or if you’ve secured ongoing contracts, that’s gold to a lender.
We often prepare a short “income profile” for our clients — a simple one-pager showing income history, contracts, and growth. It helps the lender see you as a low-risk borrower, even if your income isn’t the traditional 9-to-5.
8. Remember
Your side hustle isn’t 'extra pocket money' — it’s a real, measurable asset that can put your first home within reach sooner.
The key is to treat it like a business, prove your income, and work with a broker who knows which lenders will actually count it. With the right preparation, that weekend gig could be the secret weapon that turns your loan application into a 'yes'.
And if you’re ready to make your property dream happen, let’s chat. We’ll help you turn your hustle into a home.
Dream Catchers Lending is an MFAA-accredited member and a Certified Divorce Specialist. Feel free to book an obligation-free virtual appointment or leave us your details and we'll be in touch.