At this point, I keep every doc in a Google Drive folder and just fire them off as soon as they ask.
That’s basically my survival strategy too. I swear, if I had a dollar for every time they “misplaced” something I already sent, I could pay off the origination fee. Sometimes I wonder if there’s a secret underwriter bingo card—“ask for lease again,” “request updated bank statement,” etc. It does make me question how much of this is actually necessary versus just CYA on their end. Still, at least Google Drive keeps me sane... mostly.
Honestly, I’ve started numbering my files—like “Lease_v3” or “BankStatement_May2024”—just to keep track of what I’ve sent and when. It’s wild how often they circle back for the same stuff. I get that they need to cover themselves, but sometimes it feels like busywork. Has anyone actually had an underwriter accept a shared folder link, or do you still have to email everything one by one? That’s the part that drives me nuts...
I’ve tried the shared folder route a couple times, but honestly, most underwriters I’ve dealt with still want everything as individual attachments. It’s like they’re allergic to Google Drive or Dropbox links. One guy even said their compliance team doesn’t allow them to click external links—felt a bit over the top, but I get it’s about security. The file naming thing is a lifesaver though. I started adding dates too, just so I can prove what I sent and when if they double back. It’s a pain, but at least it keeps things organized when they inevitably ask for “just one more thing…”
It’s like they’re allergic to Google Drive or Dropbox links.
You’re not alone—every time I try to streamline things, it feels like I’m just making more work for myself. The file naming with dates is clutch though. I swear, half the battle is just being able to say “see, I sent that on the 12th.” It’s tedious, but you’re right, it really does save your sanity when they circle back for docs you’ve already sent.
Honestly, I’ve given up trying to get underwriters to use cloud links. It’s like sending them a treasure map and they just want the gold handed over in a paper bag. I’ve started doing the “dated file name” thing too—my folder looks like a calendar exploded, but at least I can prove I sent everything.
One thing that’s helped me is keeping a running spreadsheet of what I’ve sent, when, and to whom. It sounds like overkill, but after the third “can you resend your bank statements?” email, it’s a lifesaver. Also, I started zipping docs into one file for each request. Sometimes they’ll actually open it... sometimes not. But at least I know I tried.
It’s wild how something as simple as file management becomes the hardest part of the process. You’d think in 2024 we’d have this figured out, but here we are, renaming PDFs like it’s our side hustle.