Application Checklist

The following checklist covers most of the types of information you and any co-borrower will need to supply. Some lenders have slightly different information requirements (see our Special Situations Application Checklist), so you should ask your lender what to bring to your initial loan interview.

• Social Security Number and Birth Date
  Your social security number and birth date and those of any co-borrowers.

• Paycheck
  Your most recent paystub showing year-to-date earnings.

• W-2 Tax Forms
  Your W-2 tax forms for the past two years.

• Employers
  The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your employers for the past two years.

• Accounts
  You will need the account number and current balance of your checking account, savings account and any other accounts you have.

• Current Assets
  Current assets such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), certificates of deposit, stocks, and bonds. If you own securities, your lender may require a current brokerage statement with name of the stock(s), amount per share, and number of shares owned.

• Personal Property
  Value of personal property including life insurance face value, employee retirement accounts, furniture, cars, collections, and other valuable property.

• Liabilities
  For each loan, provide the lender with the name and address of each creditor and include both the monthly payment and total amount due. Liabilities would include auto loans, student loans, credit cards, and other installment debt.

• Current and Previous Addresses
  If you now own a home you will need the property address, current market value, mortgage lender name, account number, current monthly mortgage payment, and outstanding mortgage balance due. If you rent, you will need the property address, name and address of the landlord, the current monthly rent, and previous address/landlords. (You'll only need to provide information about your former addresses if you've lived in your current address for less than two years.)

• Agreement to Purchase
  If you have already completed an Agreement to Purchase on a home, bring along a signed copy of that Agreement, and any amendments to it, a copy of the listing form for the property you wish to purchase and the legal description of property (such as square and lot number), and receipts for earnest money or down payment deposits toward that property. If you don't have a signed purchase and sale agreement, don't apply for a mortgage yet.