Houston owner-operators tend to show settlements from carriers and brokers, plus fuel and equipment costs. The mortgage lender looks at a 12 or 24 month stretch of statements, depending on the program.
A look at the local numbers
BLS documents for Harris County show approximately 1,852 employer establishments in truck transportation, employing about 24,431 workers and paying close to $99,402 a year on average. Proprietors with no employees are not in that count, so the real figure of solo truckers is larger. Its employment location quotient of 1.03 compares with 1.0 for the nation as a whole.
Among residents of the city of Houston, roughly 10,403 people are self-employed in transportation and warehousing, equal to 13.3 percent of that group's workforce and 8.7 percent of all the self-employed.
Houston snapshot
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employer establishments in truck transportation | 1,852 |
| Jobs at those establishments | 24,431 |
| Average annual pay | $99,402 |
| Self-employed residents in the related group | 10,403 |
| Share of that group who are self-employed | 13.3 percent |
| Statewide share for the same group | 12.2 percent |
Freight in every direction
Containers leave Bayport and Barbours Cut, refinery products move on I-10 and I-45, and petrochemical, construction and consumer freight crosses the metro daily. Many drivers are leased on to carriers, haul tankers or dump trucks, or run flatbed for building supply and energy.
The housing market for this work
Census data for the city of Houston show that residents are 34 years old at the median; the ordinary rent runs about $1,361 a month; and working from home accounts for 13.0 percent of workers. Averages such as these do not replace an appraisal of the house you are buying.
Specialty hauling
Tanker, flatbed, heavy-haul and dump work each have different cost structures and rate patterns. A loan analyst will read the settlements, the fuel pattern and any sizable repairs. Specialized endorsements and permits support the file.
Hurricane season and shutdowns
Storms, port closures and refinery turnarounds can interrupt work for days or weeks. A short note listing dates and a 24 month window to absorb them help the file.
Parking, taxes and floods
Trucks at home can be restricted by deed or HOA, and flood zones affect many neighborhoods. Property taxes include several districts. A mortgage lender will ask about all three, so have your points ready.
Planning around timing
Median gross rent in Houston is about $1,361 a month, which is the yardstick many local owners use when they decide to buy. Fuel cards and factoring companies change how deposits look. A factoring company that advances payment on an invoice may send a deposit and then take a fee, and a fuel card may pull money on a weekly schedule. Keep the settlement statements so the reviewer can see gross revenue and the deductions.
How Houston compares
Set against 12.2 percent for Texas as a entire, the 13.3 percent share here is above the state level. Ranking the 22 measurable Texas areas we cover, Houston lands 8th. At $99,402, average pay is high, which means greater deposits but also larger expenses for many proprietors.
Paperwork worth gathering
Drivers who lease on to a carrier may receive settlements that already net out fuel, insurance and fees. In that case, the settlement statement is the best source of gross revenue, and the expense factor may differ from that of an owner with her own authority. Ask your mortgage loan officer which applies.
Common sticking points
Homeowners pay median real estate taxes near $4,198 a year in Houston, one more number a lender adds to the housing obligation. A second truck or a driver you employ changes the story. The reviewer includes the business's deposits, applies the factor and then considers whether your pay or the business's profit is the right measure. Payroll records and driver agreements help show how the fleet works.
Employers in the work around Houston
| Line of business | Establishments | Jobs | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking | 1,382 | 14,965 | $75,597 |
| Specialized freight trucking | 470 | 9,465 | $137,039 |
We pulled the local figures from the Census Bureau and BLS public tables; limits and definitions are on the data sources page.
This page is general information, not an offer. Lenders verify income and ability to repay, and program availability depends on the borrower and the property.
Related
- Bank statement loans in Houston, TX
- Owner-Operator Truckers: national guide
- What you need to prove
- Consultants and Freelancers in Houston
- Doctors and Dentists in Houston
- Restaurant and Retail Owners in Houston
- Owner-Operator Truckers in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Owner-Operator Truckers in Fort Worth, TX
Planning a purchase or refinance in Houston?
Apply online or call, and we will tell you which documents to pull together first.
Frequently asked questions
What if a hurricane shut my work down for a week?
A short note with dates and a 24 month window manage it.
Do endorsements and permits matter?
They support your experience and the specialty of your work.
Are there many truckers in the Houston area?
Payroll data for Harris County show around 1,852 establishments with employees in truck transportation, and Census estimates count around 10,403 self-employed residents of the city of Houston in the related industry group. Operators with no employees are listed only in the Census figure.
Is the Houston market different for truckers who want a bank statement loan?
The income look at is the same everywhere. The local part is the home. In the city of Houston the median home is valued around $278,000 against $284,000 for Texas, 42 percent of homes are owner occupied, and the median home was built in 1982.