I’m convinced underwriters have a secret bingo card for obscure paperwork.
That bingo card theory might not be far off... I’ve seen requests for things like a single-page bank statement from three years ago, and it always catches folks off guard. Here’s my little trick: I keep a “refi” folder (digital and physical) with the usual suspects—tax returns, pay stubs, ID copies, utility bills. Every time they ask for something new, it goes in the folder for next time. Not foolproof, but it cuts down on the scavenger hunt feeling. And yeah, those portals rejecting PDFs? Drives me up the wall. Sometimes I just end up snapping a pic with my phone and crossing my fingers.
That “refi” folder idea is genius—I wish I’d thought of it before my last round of paperwork chaos. I swear, underwriters must have a sixth sense for the one document you forgot to save. I once got asked for a W-2 from a job I left in 2017… had to dig through an old email account just to find it.
And the portal thing? Don’t even get me started. I’ve had perfectly normal PDFs get rejected for being “too large” or “not searchable.” Ended up screenshotting each page and uploading them as images. Not ideal, but hey, whatever works.
You’re right though—having everything in one spot takes some of the sting out of it. It’s like prepping for a pop quiz you know is coming, but at least you’ve got your notes ready. Hang in there… the finish line is worth it, even if the paperwork feels endless sometimes.
It’s wild how much paperwork you have to keep on hand for these things. I thought I was organized, but the last time I refinanced, they wanted a paystub from a job I barely remembered having. The portal issues are real too—sometimes it feels like they’re trying to make it harder than it needs to be. Having a dedicated folder definitely helps, though. It doesn’t make the process fun, but at least you’re not tearing the house apart looking for that one document from years ago.
Yeah, the paperwork is no joke. I swear, every time I go through a refi, they want proof I existed in 2003 or something. Last time, they asked for a W-2 from a side gig I did for like three months... had to dig through an old email account just to find it. The portals are hit or miss too—sometimes you upload everything and then get an email saying half of it didn’t go through.
I’ve started keeping a “mortgage mayhem” folder on my desktop and a physical one too, just in case. Still, even with all that, there’s always some random document they want that I never thought to save. It’s almost like a scavenger hunt, but with more stress and less fun. At least the rates make it worth the hassle most of the time.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from, but I think the paperwork horror stories get a little overblown sometimes. Yeah, there’s a lot of it, but most lenders these days have gotten better about telling you upfront what you’ll need. I’ve seen people spend hours digging for stuff that wasn’t even necessary because they didn’t just ask their loan officer for a checklist first. Not saying the process is fun—far from it—but if you keep your tax docs and pay stubs in one place, it’s usually not as wild as people make it out to be.
Last month, I had a client who was convinced they’d need every document since college graduation, but we breezed through with just the basics and a couple of explanation letters. The portals can be glitchy, sure, but half the time it’s just a browser issue or a file size thing. Maybe I’m jaded after seeing so many files cross my desk, but honestly, the “scavenger hunt” part is more like finding your keys in the couch cushions than full-on Indiana Jones. Rates are solid right now though—definitely worth jumping through a few hoops if you ask me.
