Step-By-Step Mortgage
Mortgage Process
Mortgage Checklist
Personal
Driver’s License
Social Security Card
Divorce Decree (If Applicable)
Proof of Veteran Status (For VA Loan)
Assets
- Checking and Savings Account Statements (Past 3 Months)
Retirement and other Investment Statements (Past 3 Months)
Titles for Automobiles and other Property
If part of the down payment comes from gift, a gift letter stating that the funds do not need to be repaid
Property
Sales Contract
Proof of Earnest Money Deposit
- Proof of Homeowners Insurance (Needed before Closing)
Contact Information for Homeowners Association (If applicable)
Employment/Income
Federal Income Tax Returns (Previous 2 Years)
W-2 Forms (Previous 2 years)
- Pay Stubs (Previous 30 Days)
Previous Two Years’ and Year-To-Date Profit and Loss Statements (If Self-Employed)
Proof of Additional Income (Social Security, Child Support, Alimony, if applicable)
Balance Sheet for the Most Recent Quarter (If Self-Employed)
Liabilities
Most Recent Statements for Credit Cards, Loans, and other Credit
Canceled Checks (or other Proof of Payment) for Rent or Mortgage for the Last 12 Months
- Court Documentation for Bankruptcy or Judgment (If applicable)
Listing Agreement or Sales Contract for Current Home (If applicable)
Closing Costs
Typically, home buyers will pay between 3 to 6 percent of the purchase price of their home in closing fees on the real estate portion. In addition, most home buyers will also pay between 2 to 4 percent of the loan amount they are taking a mortgage for the home they are purchasing.
On average home buyers who finance their home purchases are spending between 5 to 10% in closing costs. Some may argue that the seller pays for the real estate commissions and not the buyer which is true in some instances but that all depends on which perspective lens you choose to look through and the details on how your transaction is structured within each industry real estate and mortgage.
Below we offer a chart that makes it easy to see which party, buyer or seller is responsible for paying at closing. These individual figures are defined as closing costs.
This information is also shown on an industry form called a Settlement Statement Hud-1.