- Honestly, I think it depends on the underwriter.
- I've had some who clearly read every word and others who asked questions I'd already answered.
- Best bet is to keep explanations short, clear, and bullet-pointed—less chance they'll skim past key details.
Yeah, underwriters can be a mixed bag. When I bought my first place, I swear the underwriter must've been skimming my docs while binge-watching Netflix—asked me twice about a student loan I'd clearly listed as paid off. But last year, refinancing was a breeze; the guy was meticulous but fair. Agree on bullet points though...seems like the less you write, the less chance they'll miss something important.
"seems like the less you write, the less chance they'll miss something important."
Couldn't agree more. Had a client last month who practically wrote a novel explaining every tiny detail of their financial history—big mistake. Underwriter got hung up on minor discrepancies that wouldn't have mattered otherwise. My advice: keep it clear, concise, and organized. Bullet points are your friend here...less room for confusion, fewer headaches down the line.
I get your point, but sometimes being too brief can backfire. Had a friend who left out a minor debt thinking it wasn't important...underwriter found it anyway, and it caused delays. Maybe the sweet spot is concise but thorough enough to avoid surprises?
"Maybe the sweet spot is concise but thorough enough to avoid surprises?"
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm trying to figure out right now. I'm in the middle of my first mortgage application, and honestly, it's a bit nerve-wracking. I keep wondering—how detailed should I be? Like, I had a small medical bill from years ago that I almost forgot about...would something minor like that really trip things up? Feels like there's a fine line between oversharing and accidentally leaving something important out.