Just had a thought
If a founder has raised capital, built a team, and is generating revenue…
why does getting a home loan still feel so difficult?
Banks see irregular income.
Founders see reinvestment.
Banks look for salary slips.
Founders often don’t have one.
Banks want stability on paper.
Startups don’t really look “stable” on paper and that’s kind of the point.
Feels like there’s a mismatch somewhere.
If you’re a founder how did you navigate this?
Did you face challenges, or find a workaround that actually worked?
1: Co-applicant route is the fastest fix. If your spouse or parent has salaried income, add them.
2: Banking relationship also helps. If your startup’s current account is with a bank and they can see 6-12 months of healthy cash flow, some RMs will push the case through even if your personal ITR is weak.
3: The longer game is to start paying yourself a proper salary 12-18 months before you plan to apply. Banks don’t care about your cap table or your ARR. They want consistent monthly credits in your savings account and an ITR that matches. Feels wrong but that’s how it works.
Honestly though, with lakhs of founders in India now, it’s wild that no lender has built a product for this segment yet. Everyone’s still being forced into the salaried person framework. That needs to change.