What You’ll Need to Apply for a Home Loan
When applying for a mortgage, lenders will ask for documents that give them a full picture of your financial background. They’ll also pull your credit report and verify the details you provide. To make the process smoother, it’s helpful to have the following ready:
- Social Security numbers for yourself and any co-applicants
- Bank statements for your checking and savings accounts from the past two months
- Documentation of additional assets (like investment accounts, retirement funds such as 401(k) or 403(b), or other savings)
- Your most recent pay stubs
- W-2 forms or federal tax returns from the last two years as proof of income and employment
- Contact details for someone who can confirm your current employment
- A record of your residence history for the past two years
- A signed purchase agreement if you’re buying a new home
- Homeowners association (HOA) contact details, if applicable (e.g., for condos or homes within a managed community)
Having these documents on hand helps speed up the approval process and gives your lender everything they need to move forward with your loan.