If you work in tech in Seattle right now, you have probably had this exact thought: "I want to buy a home, but what if my team is next?" I hear some version of it in almost every buyer consultation this fall. It is a fair question, and it deserves a better answer than "just go for it" or "wait and see."

The honest answer is that job uncertainty does not automatically mean you should stop. It means you should plan differently. Let me walk you through how I think about it with my own clients.

Why This Feels So Heavy Right Now

The worry is not imaginary. Amazon's companywide cuts announced in January 2026 included about 1,400 roles in Seattle and roughly 700 in Bellevue, according to state and local filings. Microsoft has filed additional layoff notices for its Redmond campus this year too, and Seattle-area tech companies announced more than 30,000 job cuts across 2025.

Meanwhile, the market has shifted in buyers' favor. Seattle resale inventory moved above four months of supply this fall for the first time in over a decade, and rates are hovering near 7 percent. More choice and more negotiating room, paired with a paycheck that feels less certain. That is exactly why this decision deserves a real plan.

What Your Lender Actually Checks (and When)

Here is the piece most first-time buyers do not know. Getting pre-approved is not the last time your lender looks at your job. For conventional loans sold to Fannie Mae, the lender must verify your employment again within 10 business days of your loan closing, usually with a quick call or written confirmation from your employer.

That matters because a layoff between mutual acceptance and closing can stop your loan in its tracks. Your earnest money could also be at risk, depending on how your contract and financing contingency are written.

What I tell my clients is simple: if you know a reorg is coming, factor that into your timing before you write an offer. Talk to your lender openly early on. They would rather help you plan around it than find out on day 28.

Build Your Cushion Before You Build Your Offer

Your biggest protection is not a perfect job. It is margin. With uneasy tech buyers, I focus on a few numbers before we look at a single listing.

1. Months of reserves after closing. Figure out how many months of your full housing payment (mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA dues) you could cover with savings left over after your down payment and closing costs. Six months is a comfortable floor for many of my clients in tech. More is better.
2. A payment that works on a smaller paycheck. Run your budget as if your next job paid 15 to 20 percent less, or as if your household lost one income for a few months. If that version still works, you are on solid ground.
3. Your base salary, not your total comp. Lenders are careful with bonuses and RSUs, and you should be too. Treat stock as a bonus, not as the thing that makes your mortgage work.
4. Severance is not income. If you get a package, it can help bridge a gap. Do not plan your purchase around it.

If those numbers feel thin, that is useful information, not a failure. It may mean a lower price point, a condo or townhome first, or a few more months of saving.

Use the Market's Softness to Lower Your Risk

This is where today's market actually helps you. When homes sit, sellers are more willing to negotiate, and that negotiating room can go toward reducing your risk, not just your price.

Ask for Credits That Protect Your Cash

Seller credits toward closing costs or a rate buydown keep more money in your savings account after closing. For an uneasy buyer, that leftover cash can be worth more than a slightly lower price.

Keep Your Contingencies

In most Seattle neighborhoods right now, you do not have to waive contingencies to compete. A financing contingency is especially valuable if your income could change before closing. Keep it.

Negotiate a Timeline That Fits Your Life

A shorter closing period means less time for things to change before the final employment check. A slightly longer one may help if you are waiting on a vesting date or bonus.

What If You Just Got Laid Off, or Just Got a New Offer?

If you were recently laid off, I would usually encourage you to pause until you land your next role. That is not a forever answer. It is a "let's get the foundation back under you first" answer.

If you already have a new job lined up, there may be a path. Fannie Mae allows lenders to qualify a buyer using a signed, non-contingent offer letter in some cases, as long as the start date falls within a set window around closing (no later than 90 days after) and the buyer has extra reserves to cover the gap. Not every lender or loan type handles this the same way, so this is a conversation to have with your loan officer before you start touring.

So, Should You Buy or Wait?

There is no universal answer, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Here is the framework I use with my clients:

• Buy if you have solid reserves, a payment that works on a smaller income, and you plan to stay at least five years.
• Slow down if your team is actively being restructured, your savings would be nearly drained at closing, or your budget only works with stock and bonus income.
• Wait and prepare if you were just laid off, then use that time to build reserves and get pre-approved the moment you land.

The goal is not to predict the tech industry. Nobody can. The goal is to buy in a way that still feels okay if the worst happens.

I came to real estate from a marketing career at Microsoft, so I know firsthand what it feels like to watch reorg rumors ripple through a building. If you are weighing a purchase and your job feels shaky, reach out. My team at Emerald Group and I will help you run your real numbers, talk through the what-ifs, and figure out whether now is your moment or a few more months of preparation would serve you better. No pressure either way.

Ready to buy in Seattle? Brennen Clouse at Emerald Group is here to help. Call or text 206-899-9101 or visit emeraldgroupre.com.