The most important person in the mortgage approval process is the person you will never see or meet. That person is the underwriter. The underwriter works for the lender on the back end of your mortgage application. The underwriter is critical to the mortgage process, as he or she is the one who will approve or deny your mortgage. No lender funds or closes on a loan without the approval of an underwriter. When your mortgage application and paperwork gets submitted by your mortgage agent to the lender, the underwriter is the person who verifies the information and makes the judgment as to whether you qualify or not. He or she looks at four areas that can give them a more complete picture of you: your income, credit, debt ratios and asset information. Your home’s appraisal will also be taken into consideration. The mortgage underwriter will ensure your financial profile matches your lender’s guidelines and loan criteria and he or she will ultimately make the final decision: to approve or deny your mortgage. The underwriting process can seem intimidating. However, providing accurate information and supporting documents to your mortgage agent will save you precious time—and make your underwriter happy! 😀