On average, mortgage underwriting takes between 30 to 45 days to complete. During the process, the underwriter will analyze your application and determine whether you qualify for a mortgage based on financial factors like income, debt and credit.
Your lender is required to send you a Closing Disclosure that you must receive at least three business days before your closing. It's important that you carefully review the Closing Disclosure to make sure that the terms of your loan are what you are expecting.
Final Loan Approval
Once all the conditions have been met, your mortgage lender will issue you a final approval. This means that the loan has been approved and you can now close on the property.
Simply, if you're preapproved for a mortgage there is still a possibility you could be denied after. In fact, approximately 5,741 VA loans were preapproved but not accepted according to 2022 HMDA data. Let's explore more about what it means to be preapproved for a home loan and why you could be denied after.
No. Clear to close only means that the underwriter has cleared your mortgage application to move forward with signing the documents to close, but it is not final approval. There are a few more steps and actions to take before final approval, like an appraisal and inspection.
In most cases, the final walk-through is scheduled within 24 hours prior to the closing date. Your real estate agent can help you set a time with the seller's agent when you can be sure the property will be accessible and (hopefully) vacant.
Timing Requirements – The “3/7/3 Rule”
The initial Truth in Lending Statement must be delivered to the consumer within 3 business days of the receipt of the loan application by the lender. The TILA statement is presumed to be delivered to the consumer 3 business days after it is mailed.
Some buyers may be able to negotiate an immediate possession date. This means as soon as the transaction is closed and the deed is recorded, the buyer can move in. A few other common buyer possession dates may be 15 days, 30 days, 60 days, or even 90 days after closing, depending on how much time the seller needs.
Decision. Once the mortgage underwriter is satisfied with your application, the appraisal and title search, your loan will be deemed clear to close. At that point, you can move forward with closing on the property.
Credit is pulled at least once at the beginning of the approval process, and then again just prior to closing. Sometimes it's pulled in the middle if necessary, so it's important that you be conscious of your credit and the things that may impact your scores and approvability throughout the entire process.
Lenders typically consider various factors before approving a loan application. By focusing on building a good credit score, reducing debt, improving your debt-to-income ratio, and providing accurate documentation, you can enhance your eligibility for loan approval.
5. Time to close! This is the final step in the California escrow process, and the most important. At this stage, the homebuyer will provide a check for the closing costs that are due. The homebuyer and seller will sign a variety of documents relating to the sale.
Let's discuss what underwriters look for in the loan approval process. In considering your application, they look at a variety of factors, including your credit history, income and any outstanding debts. This important step in the process focuses on the three C's of underwriting — credit, capacity and collateral.
On closing day, the ownership of the property is transferred to you, the buyer. This day consists of transferring funds from escrow, providing mortgage and title fees, and updating the deed of the house to your name.
The TRID rule provides that the borrower can waive the seven-business-day waiting period after receiving the LE and the three-day waiting period after receiving the CD if the borrower has a “bona fide personal financial emergency,” which requires closing the transaction before the end of these waiting periods.
A good way to remember the documentation you'll need is to remember the 2-2-2 rule: 2 years of W-2s. 2 years of tax returns (federal and state) Your two most recent pay stubs.
Capacity, Credit, and Collateral
The three C's of underwriting play an essential role in the underwriting process. Regarding Capacity, your debt-to-income ratio is the most important component. Ideally, you would like your DTI ratio to be at or below 40%. There are home loan programs that allow up to a 50% DTI ratio.
Even the best realtor is guessing at the amount of time needed to complete the pre-closing activities, and sometimes the realtor will set these dates to accommodate either the buyer or the seller. But ultimately, the bank determines when the property is ready to close.
Who Attends a Final Walk-through? Typically, the final walk-through is only for the buyer and the buyer's real estate agent to attend. The seller and the seller's real estate agent usually do not attend.
Benefits of Early Month Closings
Closing during the first weeks of the month offers certain advantages. For example, if you close on June 5, your first mortgage payment won't be due until August 1, giving you nearly two months before your first payment. Also, try to close on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Most buyers won't have to wait very long to meet at the closing table once they're clear to close. You should expect the process to follow the clear-to-close 3-day rule, where you receive your Closing Disclosure 3 business days before your closing date.
What's Next in the Mortgage Process? Once the final underwriting approval is issued the file will be assigned to a Closer. The lender's Closer will work with the attorneys to prepare closing instruction and send docs to title.
Can a mortgage be denied after the closing disclosure is issued? Yes. Many lenders use third-party “loan audit” companies to validate your income, debt and assets again before you sign closing papers. If they discover major changes to your credit, income or cash to close, your loan could be denied.