For loans, banks are looking for expected future stability in your income.
I would never discourage anyone from self-employment, but right now I'm watching a good friend try to get a mortgage in Germany... and he's been running his own company for 20 years... in a highly volatile industry... and let's say they'd be treating him a whole lot better if he had a boring day job at some big company.
If you're planning on stuff like mortgages and (depending on your passport) visas, "regular old job" is worth many multiples of self-employment. If your self-employment makes enough that you won't need a mortgage (etc.) then great, but I would bear it in mind when thinking about quitting the day job.
I would never discourage anyone from self-employment, but right now I'm watching a good friend try to get a mortgage in Germany... and he's been running his own company for 20 years... in a highly volatile industry... and let's say they'd be treating him a whole lot better if he had a boring day job at some big company.
If you're planning on stuff like mortgages and (depending on your passport) visas, "regular old job" is worth many multiples of self-employment. If your self-employment makes enough that you won't need a mortgage (etc.) then great, but I would bear it in mind when thinking about quitting the day job.