Your Complete
Mortgage Loan Process
Roadmap
Mortgage Loan Process
Roadmap
From signed contract to keys in hand — here's exactly what happens at every stage of your loan.
7 Steps
From Contract to Keys
No Surprises
Know What Comes Next
Plain English
No Mortgage Jargon
This guide walks you through every stage of your home loan journey so you always know what comes next.
1
Step One
Offer Accepted / Contract Received
- Buyer and Seller have agreed on terms and the purchase contract is signed
- Loan Officer reviews the contract with the borrower(s)
- Key updated documents are requested from the borrower (income, assets, home insurance quote, etc.)
- Loan Officer updates the structure of the loan according to the terms of the contract and updated docs from borrower
- Borrower is notified and the formal loan application process kicks off in Step 2
2
Step Two
Submitted to Processing
- Loan file is handed off to a Loan Processor who organizes all documentation
- Processor orders third-party items such as appraisal, title search, verification of employment, home insurance binder
- Prepares to send your Initial Loan Disclosures for eSignature
- Any missing or incomplete documents are identified and requested from the borrower
- File is reviewed to ensure it meets lender guidelines before moving forward to Step 3
3
Step Three
Submitted to Underwriting
- Completed loan file is sent to an underwriter for a thorough review and risk assessment
- Underwriter evaluates the borrower's credit, income, assets, and property details to determine eligibility
- A decision is made: Approved, Approved with Conditions, or Suspended/Denied
- If conditions are required, a list of outstanding items is sent back to the Processor for review before moving to Step 4
4
Step Four
Loan Approval Received
- Underwriter has issued formal Loan Approval (often called a "Conditional Approval")
- Borrower and loan team work to satisfy any remaining conditions (e.g., additional documents, letters of explanation, etc.)
- Conditions are submitted back to underwriting for review
- Once all conditions are cleared by the underwriter, the file moves toward closing in Step 5
5
Step Five
Submitted for Clear to Close (CTC)
- All approval conditions have been satisfied, and underwriting reviews the file one final time
- Underwriter issues the official "Clear to Close," signaling the loan is fully approved and ready to fund — moving to Step 6
- Final compliance checks are completed and the Final Closing Disclosure (CD) is balanced with the title company and lender
- Borrower is emailed the FINAL Closing Disclosure with final cash-to-close amount and wiring/payment instructions
6
Step Six
Final Loan Docs to Title
- Lender prepares and sends the final loan documents to the title company or closing attorney for signing
- Title company reviews the docs and prepares the closing package for the borrower to sign
- Closing date and time are confirmed with all parties — moving to Step 7
7
Step Seven — Final Step
Closed & Funded 🎉
- Borrower attends the closing and signs all final loan documents and hands over the funds to close
- Title company verifies all documents are executed correctly and sends the docs back to the lender for funding review
- Lender reviews the signed docs and releases the funds (wires the loan amount to the title company) — loan is officially Funded
- Title company disburses funds, pays off any existing liens/debts, the property officially transfers to the buyer
- The buyer receives the keys 🏡
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Step one begins with a simple conversation. Let's talk about your goals, your budget, and put together a plan to get you into the right home.
