Documentation Required

• Documentation required will include federal tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, explanation of derogatory credit and any other pertinent information. If the loan is for a purchase, a copy of the purchase agreement will also be required.
  
  

Processor's Role

• A loan processor orders a verification of mortgage from the borrower's existing mortgage holder(s) to confirm the borrower's mortgage payment history. They also order a credit report that combines information from the three major credit-reporting agencies. The processor will request an explanation from the borrower for any derogatory items on the credit report. In some cases, the processor will ask the loan officer to obtain the explanation from the borrower. The processor will also obtain other documentation to verify the information provided.
  
  

Underwriter's Role

• The underwriter receives the completed loan package from the processor and determines if the borrower is a good credit risk. He reviews an appraisal on the property, debt ratios, job stability, derogatory credit, cash reserves and anything else included in the loan package. The underwriter's job is to determine if the borrower meets the criteria of the lender that will ultimately fund the loan.
  
  

Summary

• A mortgage lender or broker has little or no interaction with the underwriter. The underwriter is required to make an unbiased decision without any outside influence. Occasionally he may request clarification of something in the documentation, but in most cases, the request would be to the loan processor.