“Clear to close” means an underwriter has approved your loan documents and that any conditions that were required for the loan to be approved have been met. It also means your lender is ready to confirm your closing date with the title company or attorney.
After you've cleared underwriting and conditional approvals, your loan officer will send you a Closing Disclosure. This five-page document outlines the terms and conditions of your mortgage agreement, providing a comprehensive overview of all of the costs and fees you'll pay when you provide your signature.
“Clear to close” in terms of a buying a home means that a mortgage underwriter has approved your loan and all conditions for approval have been met. Your lender is also ready to move forward with a closing date with the title company, so you're more than approved.
Once you are clear to close, you've entered the final stretch. “On average, you can expect a 24- to 72-hour turnaround to be cleared to close,” Baez says. Once cleared, your lender will wire funds to your closing officer. This person will confirm receipt and ensure the loan gets recorded with the county.
When your loan officer calls to say your loan is clear to close (CTC), that means the underwriter has approved all documentation necessary for the title company to schedule the closing and start drafting the Closing Disclosure.
Final Underwriting And Clear To Close: At Least 3 Days
Once the underwriter has determined that your loan is fit for approval, you'll be cleared to close. At this point, you'll receive a Closing Disclosure.
Q: Do lenders pull credit day of closing? A: Not usually, but most will pull credit again before giving the final approval. So, make sure you don't rack up credit cards or open new accounts.
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.
“Clear to close” means an underwriter has approved your loan documents and that any conditions that were required for the loan to be approved have been met. It also means your lender is ready to confirm your closing date with the title company or attorney.
When it comes to mortgage lending, no news isn't necessarily good news. Particularly in today's economic climate, many lenders are struggling to meet closing deadlines, but don't readily offer up that information. When they finally do, it's often late in the process, which can put borrowers in real jeopardy.
The conditional approval process usually takes anywhere from 1 – 2 weeks, and the closing day comes shortly after that. The best way to ensure a fast closing process is to resolve any issues that come up with underwriting quickly. The faster you can resolve these issues, the sooner you'll be able to close on your home.
Do lenders look at bank statements before closing? Your loan officer will typically not re-check your bank statements right before closing. Lenders are only required to check when you initially submit your loan application and begin the underwriting approval process.
How many days before closing do you get mortgage approval? Federal law requires a three-day minimum between loan approval and closing on your new mortgage. You could be conditionally approved for one to two weeks before closing.
Unfortunately, not all banks are open on the weekend even those that may take deposits and cash checks often do not have a home loan professional available to pre-approve a buyer or answer a complicated home loan question in an instant.
How soon after closing can I use my credit card? If you already have a credit card (or opened a new card shortly after closing on a home mortgage loan) there's no need to wait before using the account.
How often do underwriters deny loans? Underwriters deny loans about 9% of the time. The most common reason for denial is that the borrower has too much debt, but even an incomplete loan package can lead to denial.
Two Weeks Before Closing:
Contact your insurance company to purchase a homeowner's insurance policy for your new home. Your lender will need an insurance binder from your insurance company 10 days before closing. Check in with your lender to determine if they need any additional information from you.
A closing deal might fall through if the buyer and seller can't agree on who handles problems that arose during an inspection. Some sellers might want to sell the home as-is to expedite the sale, but buyers might not want to be on the hook for big issues.
A new credit card application before you close on a home could affect your mortgage application. A mortgage lender will usually re-pull your credit before closing to ensure you still qualify and that new credit was not opened.
Tip #1: Don't Apply For Any New Credit Lines During Underwriting. Any major financial changes and spending can cause problems during the underwriting process. New lines of credit or loans could interrupt this process. Also, avoid making any purchases that could decrease your assets.
The biggest mortgage fraud red flags relate to phony loan applications, credit documentation discrepancies, appraisal and property scams along with loan package fraud.
While the underwriter and loan officer can be located in the same office, the loan officer may not attempt to influence the underwriter's decision. The loan officer may provide information to the underwriter and ask questions regarding reasons for approval or denial.
No, underwriting is not the final step in the mortgage process. You still have to attend closing to sign a bunch of paperwork, and then the loan has to be funded. The underwriting process itself can be smooth or “bumpy,” depending on your financial situation.