When you apply for a mortgage, you will be asked for a lot of information about yourself, any co-borrowers and your financial position. You will be asked to fill out a form called a “uniform residential loan application” which is used by virtually all lenders as a starting point to the loan process.

You will also be asked for supporting documentation. A sample checklist of information you will need to provide:

* Social Security number (SSN) and date of birth (DOB) for all

  borrowers.

* Your two most recent pay stubs with year-to-date earnings.

* W-2 tax forms and possibly the last two years’ tax returns.

* The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your

  employers for the past two years.

* The account numbers and current balances of your checking,

   savings, or any other accounts.

* Statements of current assets, such as Individual Retirement

  Accounts (IRAs), Certificates of Deposit (CDs), stocks, and

  bonds.

* The value of your personal property, including employee

  retirement accounts, furniture, cars, any valuable

  collections, other valuable property, and life insurance.

* The names and addresses of all creditors, as well as the 

  monthly payment and balances due for all current loans.

* If you currently own your own home, bring your address, 

  current market value, mortgage lender, account number,

  current monthly payment, and outstanding balance due on

  the mortgage.

* If you rent, bring your address, the name and address of

  your landlord, and proof of your current monthly rent, which

  may be on a lease agreement. If you’ve lived at your current

  address for less than two years, bring the information for

  your previous addresses.

* On a purchase transaction, you will need a signed copy of

  your sales contract as approved by the seller. A receipt for

  any earnest money given to the seller is also required. This

  is money sellers often request as proof that you are serious

  about buying the property so they can take it off the market.

* If you are using a financial gift to cover your down payment

  or closing costs, you will need a signed letter from the donor

  saying that you are not expected to repay the gift. Borrowing

  funds for down payments is not generally permitted.

* Self-employed persons will need to provide profit and loss

  statements for the previous two years in business.

* If you are counting on alimony or child support to qualify for

  the mortgage, you will need payment histories for the last 12

  months and any court documents, like divorce decrees and

  maintenance agreements, to verify the source of these

  funds. 

 * If you have less than two years of employment

   history because you have been in school, you

   will need to provide transcripts, a diploma or  

   degree.