What gets me is how one underwriter will let something slide, and then the next one acts like it’s a federal offense.
That’s been my experience too. When I refinanced last year, one guy flagged a missing middle initial on a signature page, but the previous lender didn’t care at all. It really does feel random sometimes. I’ve noticed some smaller lenders are actually pickier about these details than the big banks, which surprised me. Maybe they’re just trying to cover themselves more? Either way, I’ve started double-checking every doc for those tiny inconsistencies before sending anything in... learned that lesson the hard way.
It’s wild how much it depends on who you get. I once had an underwriter ask me to explain a $12 Venmo transfer from my mom—like, did they think I was laundering lunch money? Meanwhile, the next deal, nobody even blinked at a missing page number. I swear, half the time it feels like a game of “spot the difference” with these docs. At this point, I just assume they’ll find something weird and try not to take it personally.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually found that the “randomness” isn’t always as random as it feels. Sometimes it’s less about the underwriter and more about the lender’s internal checklist or even the timing—like, if they’re slammed, they might breeze past stuff they’d usually flag. I had a deal last year where the underwriter grilled my client over a $20 Zelle from his sister, but then on another file, they missed a whole missing lease addendum.
I do wonder if part of it is just the nature of DSCR loans being newer territory for some lenders. They’re still figuring out what matters and what doesn’t. It’s frustrating, for sure, but I try to remind clients that it’s not always personal scrutiny—it’s just someone trying to check boxes (sometimes with their eyes half-closed). Still, I wish there was more consistency. Makes you feel like you need a crystal ball just to prep your docs...
That’s so true about the inconsistency—sometimes it feels like a total toss-up. I’ve noticed some lenders seem to get pickier at the end of the month, maybe when they’re trying to hit quotas? Have you ever had a file get flagged for something totally minor, but then another one with bigger gaps just slides through?
Yeah, I’ve totally had that happen. One time they flagged me for a missing initial on a doc, but another file with way shakier income numbers just breezed through. It honestly makes me double and triple-check everything now, just in case. The randomness is wild.
