Conditional Approval vs. Pre-Approval?
What you inquire about qualifying for a home loan, you’ll likely hear the term “conditionally approved” but might not be sure what that means or how it differs from a pre-approval. A conditionally approved loan is closer to closing than a pre-approved one but it comes with a few conditions, usually concerning documentation and income, that must be met before a client can be pre-approved to close.
A conditional approval occurs once the client has provided the necessary documentation to get their loan set up, such as supplying the following documentation:
- Employment and income verification
- Pay stubs
- Tax returns
- Bank statements
- Debt obligations (credit cards/other loans)
- Utility bills
- Asset statements
All this information is required before the loan is completely approved.
Conditional Approval vs. Pre-Approval
People often confuse conditional approval and pre-approval when talking about mortgages. Loans are pre-approved by a lender who has reviewed your income and credit information. Your information must be verified and approved before a final decision can be made.
The pre-approval is based on what the client tells the banker and their credit report information. Conditional approval differs from pre-approval in that the loan may not have been reviewed by an underwriter when pre-approved. After your information is reviewed, you’ll receive a pre-approval letter stating your eligibility for a loan up to a specified amount.
Conditional approval comes after pre-approval and involves going a little deeper. An underwriter conducts a strict documentation review before your loan is conditionally approved. This documentation is reviewed by an underwriter, and provided the client’s information matches up with what was initially stated to the mortgage lender, they are conditionally approved. This means the loan is moving forward, but there are or may be additional conditions that will need to be met in order to finalize and close the loan. If the conditions aren’t met, the client might not be able to close on the loan.
Conditions on a Conditional Approval
There are a few common conditions attached to a conditional home loan approval. Additional documentation, such as pay stubs, paperwork for business income and tax documentation, is often required for final approval. This might also include written verification of employment from your employer or additional asset statements, depending on what’s needed for your loan.
Conditional approval can also require purchase agreement addendums. Title verification, an appraisal, an inspection and home owners insurance are usually needed to verify the market price of the home, the loan-to-value ratio and other details. This can also include confirmation that there are no unexpected liens or judgements on the home.
Denial of a Conditionally Approved Loan
Clients with a conditional approval for a home loan are at risk for denial if they fail to meet any of the conditions laid out by the lender.
Here are a few reasons why a client might be denied:
- The underwriter is unable to verify the data provided by the client
- The home the client is trying to purchase has an unexpected lien.
- The client has a judgment on their record
- The home inspection or property appraisal came in with unexpected issues
- The client experienced a decrease in income
- The client had negative entries on their credit report
Call us today for more information or if you want to start the process to get pre-approved!