Who should be the main applicant on a mortgage?

Asked by: Violet Ward  |  Last update: October 6, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (41 votes)

When evaluating borrowers for a joint mortgage, the lender cares less about who is listed first, and more about the sum of the applicants' earnings and debts. In general, the lender evaluates the application the way the applicants submit it, without regard to whose name is listed first.

Does it matter who is the primary applicant for a mortgage?

No. You can apply for a mortgage using only the strength of your own credit. You may want to apply individually if your spouse has a poor credit history. However, you may qualify for a higher balance if you both apply together since lenders consider the income of both applicants when approving a mortgage.

Who should be the primary borrower for a mortgage?

Some lenders, however, may indicate a “primary borrower.” The criteria for determining who this person is differs among mortgage lenders. Some may define the primary borrower as the person with the higher income, for instance, or as the person whose name appears first on the application.

What is the difference between main applicant and co-applicant?

Difference Between Main Applicant and Co-Applicant

A co-applicant, on the other hand, is an additional person who applies with the primary applicant. They share equal legal obligations with the primary applicant but are not necessarily the initiators of the rental process.

Is there a primary person on a mortgage?

If you co-signed a mortgage

The person making the payments must be the primary borrower who signed the loan agreement.

Mortgages Application Process || Explained in 3 Minutes || UK || 2023

32 related questions found

Does it matter whose name is listed first on a mortgage?

When evaluating borrowers for a joint mortgage, the lender cares less about who is listed first, and more about the sum of the applicants' earnings and debts. In general, the lender evaluates the application the way the applicants submit it, without regard to whose name is listed first.

Can two people be on a mortgage but only one on a title?

In short, a mortgage is an agreement to pay back the loan amount borrowed to buy a home. A title refers to the rights of ownership to the property. Many people assume that as a couple, both names are listed on both documents as 50/50 owners, but they don't have to be.

Who is a main applicant?

Leaders, or “Main Applicants”, are the individuals who have qualified for a UK visa – usually, this will be based on work or study in the UK. Main Applicants may be eligible to “sponsor” their dependent family members to apply for a dependent visa.

Does it matter who is the co-applicant?

The role of a co-applicant is to strengthen the borrower's loan application and increase the chances that it is accepted. If the co-applicant has a good credit history, stable income, and few debts, it matters less that the primary borrower's credit is weaker.

What is the primary applicant?

Primary Applicant means the applicant responsible for the conduct and reporting of the proposed research. The Primary Applicant has ultimate responsibility over all aspects of the research grant and reporting.

Does being a co-applicant affect your credit?

It can affect your credit scores.

Because a co-signed loan is recorded on your credit reports, any late or missed payments can have a negative impact on your credit scores. If the borrower defaults on the loan and ceases payment, the debt may be referred to a collection agency.

Is it better to have two people on a mortgage?

Because joint mortgage loans offer plenty of advantages, they are an attractive option to some—financial responsibility is shared, borrowing power is increased, and larger loans with better interest rates may be more attainable when pooling resources with another party.

Can I add someone to my mortgage without refinancing?

Adding a person to your mortgage without refinancing can only work if the mortgage is assumable. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans tend to be assumable, but other types may not be.

Does it matter whose name is first on a house?

Property deeds do not generally affect ownership rights based on the order in which the names appear.

Who is the primary or principal applicant?

Principal applicant: When a family applies together, one member must be the main or “principal” applicant. For example, a mother applying for permanent residence with her three children would be the principal applicant. When parents are included in an application, dependent children cannot be principal applicants.

What happens if a co-borrower on a mortgage dies?

In most cases, the responsibility of the mortgage will be passed to the beneficiary of the home if there is a will. If you applied for your mortgage with a co-borrower or co-signer, the solution is relatively simple: The other party must continue paying the loan.

What is the difference between a main applicant and a co-applicant?

A co-applicant is someone whose income and credit history are put on the loan application in addition to the primary borrower. Co-applicants are a common addition when the primary borrower may not qualify for the mortgage on their own.

Can a co-borrower be removed from a mortgage?

If you can work out an arrangement with the co-borrower, paying off the mortgage will retire the loan and remove all names from the mortgage. This may require additional steps once the sale is complete, as you and the other party may need to work out compensation or ownership after settling the loan.

What is the risk of a co-applicant?

Key Disadvantages of Having a Co-Applicant

2. Dispute may arise in case of a fight between co-applicants. 3. In case of default, the co-applicant has to repay the remaining dues.

Who is considered principal applicant?

The principal applicant is the main individual applying for an immigration benefit, such as a green card or visa. This person is responsible for meeting the eligibility requirements and providing necessary documents.

What does relationship to main applicant mean?

If you are the person filling out a reference letter for the applicant, you would specify your relationship to the applicant (e.g., friend, employer, spouse). If you are listed as a family member on the application, you would indicate how you are related to the main applicant (e.g., father, mother, brother, sister).

Is the applicant the owner?

The owner or assignee of a patent property can take action in a patent application as the applicant. The original applicant is presumed to be the owner of an application for an original patent, and any patent that may issue therefrom in the absence of an assignment.

Can my wife be on the title but not the mortgage?

Yes, someone can be on the title and not the mortgage. The two terms “deed” and “title” are often used synonymously. A person whose name is on a house deed has the title to that particular house. The house deed is the physical document that is used to transfer title and thus proves who owns the house.

Is it better to be on the mortgage or the deed?

Regarding property ownership, two essential documents are the deed and mortgage. Out of these two, the deed is undoubtedly the most important one. It acts as concrete evidence of your rightful ownership of the property.

Does it matter whose name is on the mortgage?

When there are two names on a title deed, it means that there are joint owners of the property and each person owns an equal share of the property. The mortgage does not need to include both names to be valid. Even if the mortgage only lists one spouse, it does not affect the share of the ownership of the property.