Finding that dream home you’ve been planning and searching for can be exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. In order to help make that dream a less stressful reality, plan ahead to be sure you qualify for the home you desire. With the assistance of a home mortgage, you can now pay for your home in more flexible terms.

Most home mortgage loans are carefully designed to give you various financial options when purchasing, combined with the expertise and guidance of an experienced mortgage professional. Securing the loan will depend on two things: your ability and willingness to repay the loan. Mortgage professionals will determine this by examining your monthly income and your credit history. Scrutinizing these areas will give lenders an idea of how you handle loan responsibilities and how much you can actually afford to pay. To prepare for your appointment with a mortgage loan officer, here is a checklist of information and documentation you will need to bring with you so that your application process will run smoothly.

Residence History

You will need to provide the street address for every residence you have lived in during the past two years.

If you are currently renting, please bring:

• Landlord’s name
• Landlord’s address
• Landlord’s phone number

If you own your current residence, please bring:

• Mortgage lender’s name
• Mortgage account number

Employment History

You will need to provide the following information for every employer you have worked for during the past two years:

• Employer’s name
• Employer’s address
• Employer’s phone number

Income Information

You will need to provide the following information about your income to complete your application:

• Gross monthly salary or other income
• Year-to-date pay stub
• W2s for the past two years
• Signed tax returns if you worked on commission
• Signed tax returns if you wish to use interest, dividend or bonus income to qualify for your loan

If you’re self-employed, you will need to provide:

• Signed tax returns for the past two years
• Current profit and loss statement
• Current balance sheet

If you are not currently employed, please bring:

• Proof of other sources of income

Deposit, Retirement and Equities Account Information

For all checking, savings, IRA, 401(k) or other retirement program, stock and mutual fund accounts, you will need to provide:

• Name and address of the financial institution holding the account
• Account number
• Account balance
• Statements for the past two months

Debt Information

You will need to provide the following information on all of your outstanding loans and credit cards:

• Name and address of lender
• Account number
• Balance
• Monthly payment

Real Estate Information

You will need to provide the following information about any real estate you own:

• Address of property
• Market value
• Loan information
• Copies of leases on rental property

Personal Property Information

You will need to provide the estimated value of personal property on your application including:

• Furniture
• Vehicles (include make and model numbers)
• Boats
• Campers

Sales Contract

You will need to provide the completed and signed sales contract for the property you are purchasing when you finalize your loan.

Identification

You will need to provide information from your government-issued photo ID when you apply. When you attend your loan closing, you will also need to present this identification to the closing agent:

• Driver’s license
• State-issued non-drivers ID
• U.S. military ID

Fees

Be prepared to make the following payments when you finalize your loan:

• Property appraisal
• Credit report
• Flood certification

When you have successfully negotiated on a home and have had your offer accepted by the seller, you will pay an application fee and an appraisal fee when the mortgage application is submitted. There is generally no charge to pre-qualify for a loan. After you submit you information and a loan officer has had a chance to process it, you should know if you qualify for the loan within a few days.

When following that path to a new dream home, a little added preparation will open the door to a much more efficient process.