finally got approved for my mortgage—here's how it went down

"Honestly, the whole mortgage process feels like a mix of being super prepared and just rolling with whatever curveballs come your way."

Exactly this. I went into it thinking I had every possible document ready, but still got blindsided by a few random underwriting requests toward the end. A friend recommended keeping digital copies of everything—pay stubs, tax docs, bank statements—in a secure folder for quick access. Saved me from completely losing my mind when they needed extra paperwork last-minute...