That’s interesting—my lender was super strict about every deposit too, even birthday gifts from family. It honestly made me wonder if there’s any way to know in advance how picky a lender will be? Or is it just luck of the draw?
It’s not just luck—each lender has their own risk tolerance and internal policies, but you can get a sense by asking up front about their documentation requirements. Some are stricter due to regulatory audits or past experiences. If you want less hassle, credit unions or smaller banks sometimes have a more flexible approach, but it’s never a guarantee. I’ve seen two buyers, same financials, get totally different treatment just based on the lender’s internal guidelines. It’s worth shopping around and asking detailed questions before you commit.
Honestly, I’ve had lenders ask for everything short of my childhood report cards. It’s wild how much it varies. One local bank barely glanced at my paperwork, while a big-name lender wanted every document under the sun. Shopping around really does pay off—sometimes literally.
I get what you mean about shopping around, but honestly, sometimes those big lenders asking for every scrap of paperwork are actually doing you a favor. They’re less likely to miss something that could blow up later. I’ve seen folks get burned by too-easy approvals when some key detail got overlooked. I’d rather jump through hoops upfront than deal with a nasty surprise during closing.
I’d rather jump through hoops upfront than deal with a nasty surprise during closing.
I totally get that logic—those “hoops” can actually be a safety net. Still, have you ever felt like the process almost gets bogged down by over-documenting? I remember sending the same pay stub three times. At what point does thoroughness become overkill?
