Updated October 7, 2026. The checklist follows the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s loan application packet.
Before a lender can pre-approve you, they need to see your income, the money you are bringing and who you are. This checklist lists the documents for each. Check them off as you gather them and watch the three keys fill in. When the last one turns green, you are ready to talk with a lender, and your Mortgage Readiness Report shows exactly where you stand.
Your mortgage readiness
Check off each document as you gather it. Each key fills in as its section comes together.
0 percent ready
You’re ready!
Every document on the list is gathered. Your next step is a conversation with a qualified lender.
We are not lenders. This checklist helps you gather what lenders usually ask for at pre-approval. A qualified lender will tell you exactly what they need for your situation.
Where should we send your report?
Your report opens right here, and a copy goes to your inbox.
✓Your report is unlocked. A copy is on its way to your inbox.
Your Mortgage Readiness Report
What do lenders ask for at pre-approval?
The checklist above follows the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s loan application packet: proof of income, proof of the money you are bringing, and proof of who you are. The Bureau’s advice is to gather it before you talk with lenders and to keep the time-sensitive pieces, like pay stubs and bank statements, current as you go. Lenders want recent documents, so plan to refresh your packet at least once before you close.
Some situations call for more. If you are self-employed or your income is irregular or seasonal, expect to document it in more detail. Child support or alimony counts only with a court order and a record of the payments. Servicemembers and veterans looking at a VA loan need a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA.
What happens when the last key turns green?
You are ready to talk with a lender. Tap Connect with a Lender and an email to Neil opens, asking for his three most trusted lenders. In Neil’s experience, a South Bay buyer who walks into that first lender conversation with a complete packet gets a clear answer sooner and can start touring with a pre-approval letter in hand.
What is in the Mortgage Readiness Report?
Your report lists every document on the checklist, marked Gathered or Still to gather, with your overall progress. It opens on this page as soon as you send the form, and a copy goes to your inbox so you can work through the rest at your own pace. Your checkmarks also stay saved in this browser, so you can come back and pick up where you left off.
Want to know what price range fits your budget before you talk with a lender? Try Find Your Comfort Zone, and see Buying your first home in the South Bay for the rest of the process.
Buying, selling, or still working out whether the South Bay is where to set down roots? Neil Chhabria and the team will walk through it with you. Reach out here.
Sources
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Create a loan application packet. Verified October 7, 2026.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Gather and update your paperwork. Verified October 7, 2026.
- Fannie Mae Form 1003, Uniform Residential Loan Application. Verified October 7, 2026.
Chhabria Real Estate Company is not a lender. This checklist and report are planning tools, not a loan offer, a pre-approval or financial advice. A qualified lender will tell you exactly what they need and what you qualify for.
Have a question about this? Neil answers personally.