1Pre-qualify 2Application 3Underwriting 4Appraisal 5Clear-to-close 6Funding
Avg. close · 24 days
From hello to keys · 24 days average

The whole process,
laid out honestly.

Eight steps. One broker. Forty-seven wholesale lenders shopping for your file. Here's what each day looks like — what we do, what you do, and how long to expect.

1
Day 0

The five-minute pre-qualify.

You answer eight questions on the phone or in our portal — no documents, no credit hit. We give you a ballpark price range and pencil in a strategy call.

  • Soft credit pull, zero score impact
  • Income summary by self-attestation
  • Outputs: estimated price range, monthly payment, down-payment options

What happens on the call

YOUR LICENSED BROKER · 5 MINUTES

"What's your annual income, monthly debt, target purchase price, and timeline? Do you currently own? Veteran? Self-employed? Any prior bankruptcy or foreclosure? Tell us and we'll tell you which programs you qualify for."

2
Day 1 · 30 min

Loan strategy session.

Sit down with your assigned broker — in our Ottumwa office or by video. We map out exactly which loan product, which down payment scenario, and which lenders to shop. You leave with a written strategy memo.

  • Loan-product comparison sheet for your file
  • Down-payment-assistance eligibility check
  • Rate-lock timing strategy

What you walk away with

DELIVERED BY EMAIL · SAME DAY
Strategy memo1 page
Product comparison3 paths
Document checklist9 items
Lender shortlistTop 5 of 47
3
Day 2–3

Document upload.

You upload to our secure portal — paystubs, two months of bank statements, tax returns, ID. We notify you only if something's missing. No paper, no fax, no email back-and-forth.

  • Bank-grade encryption · SOC 2 Type II provider
  • One file at a time or batch upload
  • We chase missing docs, not you

Documents you'll send

UPLOAD VIA SECURE PORTAL · 9 ITEMS TYPICAL
Paystubs · last 30 days2 files
W-2s · last two years2 files
Bank statements · 60 days2 accts
Driver's license1 file
Tax returns · self-employedIf applies
4
Day 4 · same-day

Lender shopping.

We pull rate sheets from all 47 wholesale lenders and submit your file to the top three matches. Same-day quotes back. We bring you the three lowest-cost options — not the one with the best lender lunch.

  • Wholesale rate-sheet pulls across 47 lenders
  • Same-day quote turn-around
  • Three-lender comparison: rate, points, lender fees, lock period

Three-lender quote sheet

DELIVERED BY EMAIL · SAME DAY
Lender A · 6.42% / 0.5 pts$1,840 fees
Lender B · 6.50% / 0.0 pts$1,420 fees
Lender C · 6.38% / 0.75 pts$2,180 fees
Recommended pathLender A
5
Day 5

Pre-approval letter.

Underwriter-vetted, ready to put in any offer. Sellers and listing agents take ours seriously because it includes a real underwriter sign-off, not just a "credit-only" pre-qual.

  • Real underwriter review (not just LOS auto-approval)
  • Customizable purchase price for offer letters
  • Written conditions: appraisal, title, final docs

What's in the letter

PDF · CUSTOMIZABLE BY DEAL

"Borrower is approved for a 30-year fixed conventional loan up to $400,000 at the prevailing market rate, subject to satisfactory appraisal, clear title, and no material change to credit/income. Approval valid 90 days."

6
Day 8–14

Appraisal & rate lock.

Once you're under contract, we order the appraisal, lock the rate, shop title insurance to find you the cheapest title quote, and start clearing conditions.

  • Appraisal ordered same-day from licensed AMC
  • Rate lock for 30, 45, or 60 days
  • Title quotes from 3 providers — pick lowest

Appraisal turn-time

PRAIRIE COUNTIES · 5–9 DAYS TYPICAL
Order placedDay 8
Site visitDay 10–12
Report deliveredDay 14
Cost$540 typical
7
Day 21

Clear to close.

All conditions cleared. Final closing disclosure issued. Three-day federal cooling-off period begins. We review every line item with you on a 20-minute call.

  • Closing-disclosure walkthrough call
  • Final cash-to-close confirmed
  • Wire instructions verified by callback

Closing-disclosure highlights

FINAL · WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE
Cash to close$94,820
Loan amount$340,000
Total closing costs$3,840
First payment due+45 days
8
Day 24

Sign & fund.

Closing table at the title company office. We're there with you. Sign in 45 minutes, hand over the wire confirmation, get the keys. Welcome home.

  • Your broker present at the closing table
  • Wire confirmation handled before signing
  • Keys delivered same-day from listing agent

The signing

TITLE OFFICE · 45 MIN AVG

Bring your driver's license and your favorite pen. Most clients are in and out in under an hour. We celebrate every closing in our office with a small bottle of prairie honey from the Andersson family — has been our tradition since 2009.

What to expect, by the numbers

Process metrics, last 90 days.

24
Days · application to funding

Faster than the bank

National average is 47 days. Our broker model + tight underwriting halves that.

96.4%
First-time approval rate

We pre-screen carefully

Files we submit to underwriting come back approved 96% of the time, not 70%.

3.2
Conditions per file (avg.)

Smooth underwriting

Industry average is 8–12. Tight upfront packaging means fewer back-and-forth conditions.

$0
Application fee

Free to apply

You only pay for the appraisal once you're under contract — no money out-of-pocket to apply.

Document checklist

What to gather before you apply.

Identity & basics

EVERY FILE
  • Driver's license or passport
  • Social Security number
  • Two years of address history
  • Phone & email

Income & employment

W-2 EMPLOYEES
  • Last 30 days of paystubs
  • W-2s · last two years
  • Employer name & HR contact
  • Pension / SS / disability statements

Self-employed extras

1099 / OWNERS
  • Business & personal tax returns · 2 yrs
  • YTD profit-and-loss statement
  • Business bank statements · 12 mo
  • K-1s if partnership/S-corp

Assets

DOWN PAYMENT & RESERVES
  • Bank statements · last 60 days
  • Retirement statements (401k, IRA)
  • Gift letter if family gifted DP
  • Sale proceeds if selling current home

Property (after offer)

UNDER CONTRACT
  • Fully signed purchase agreement
  • Earnest money receipt
  • Listing agent contact info
  • HOA docs if applicable

Special situations

IF APPLICABLE
  • Divorce decree / child-support order
  • Bankruptcy discharge papers
  • VA Certificate of Eligibility
  • Citizenship / visa documentation
Now you know what to expect

Want to start at step one?

Five-minute pre-qualify, soft credit pull, zero out-of-pocket cost. Your broker calls back within four business hours.

Begin pre-qualify →