Mortgage Loan & Pre-approval Document Checklist (with PDF)

Mortgage Loan Document Checklist PDF Download

If you are house hunting and already have a shortlist of a few homes that you like, it may be time for you to get a head-start on gathering all your documents. If you have most of your documents handy, you will save yourself a great amount of time when applying for a loan. These documents will detail your earnings, homeownership history, debt, and assets. In addition to gathering the necessary documents, you should shop around from lender to lender, recording and comparing mortgage rates (and quotes too!) along the way. Many lenders will complete a pre-approval for you and provide you with both a free quote and an estimate of how much you can borrow.

The following list will help you adequately prepare for the mortgage application process. If your specific financial situation requires any additional documents, your lender will bring this to your attention. Your real estate agent should also inform you about any extra documentation needed at closing.

Pre-approval Checklist:

Pre-approval typically occurs either online or on the phone. Initially, all you will need are the following documents and information:

• Name of borrower (and co-borrower, if applicable)
• Current address
• Estimated annual household income (for both borrower and co-borrower)
• Estimated monthly household expenses and debt(including auto loans)

Mortgage Application Documents Checklist:

If you receive mortgage approval and decide which lender to go with, you must submit a variety of documents. You might not need to have all the documents at once, and can submit them on a schedule detailed by your lender. These documents are the bare-minimum required both for purchasing and refinancing, though some lenders may ask for more. See below for a list of documents required to apply for a mortgage:

• Form of Identification (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
• Executed Contract (for purchase only)
• Documents for Subject Property (for refinance only )
  • Mortgage Statement
  • Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Declaration Page
  • Homeowner’s Association Dues Statement, in the case of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) or a Condo
• Residential History
  • Your address(es) from the past two years
  • Landlords and addresses from the past two years (for rental properties)
• Income & Employment History
  • Pay-stubs (dated within 30 days)
  • W-2s/1099s (issued by your employer) or K1s (if you are self employed) from the past two years
  • Federal income tax returns (form 1040, for example) from the past two years
• Statements of Personal Assets
  • Bank account statements for all checking and savings accounts from the two most recent months 
  • Statements for any CDs, IRAs, stocks, bonds or other securities you may intend to use for your down payment from the past two months
  • Current real estate holdings, including property address, current market value, lender’s name and address, loan account number, monthly payment amount, and remaining loan balance
  • Personal Debt
    • A list of any monthly debts not listed on your credit report (auto loans, student loans, credit card debt, etc.)