What Is Manual Underwriting And How Does It Work?

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Underwriting is the step in the mortgage process when your lender decides whether you qualify for a loan. There are two ways that a lender can underwrite your loan: automatically or manually. You might be able to increase your chances of getting a loan with manual underwriting if you have a unique financial situation.In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the differences between manual and automated underwriting. We’ll also show you what your lender looks at during manual underwriting and when they might use a manual process.

What Is Manual Underwriting For A Mortgage?

When you initiate your mortgage application, your lender decides if you qualify for a loan by looking at your information and deciding whether you’re likely to pay it back. In the majority of cases, the decision is made by a computer program – not a human being. If you’re self-employed, applying for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or applying for a jumbo loan, you can expect to be rejected by the algorithm.

That’s when your application is reviewed by a human being, during the process known as manual underwriting.

Manual Underwriting Vs. Automated Underwriting

Even with technology, there’s a need for human involvement and insight in the mortgage process.

How Automated Underwriting Works For Mortgages

Automated underwriting uses a computer algorithm to underwrite your loan. The algorithm takes your information and uses it to decide whether your data meets the lender's minimum standards. With just a small amount of inputted information (like your Social Security number and address), the computer can learn about your finances. The automated system compares your credit score, debt and other factors to the requirements and guidelines of the loan you’re applying for. The machine does most of the heavy lifting. After the computer draws a conclusion, your lender will briefly double-check the result and issue a decision. Lenders use automated underwriting because it’s much faster and more cost-efficient than manual underwriting.

How Manual Underwriting Works For Mortgages

Manual underwriting is just the opposite. Instead of using a computer to analyze the borrower’s application data, a human looks at the finances. Manual underwriting takes more time than automated underwriting and requires more documentation. However, if you have a unique financial situation, manual underwriting can improve your chances of getting a loan.

Underwriting, whether automated or manual, takes place late in the home buying process so if you haven’t been preapproved for a mortgage loan yet, that should be your first step.

When Is Manual Underwriting Done?

A lender might choose to manually underwrite a loan under a few circumstances:

• You’re living debt-free. Paying back debt is the foundation of a great credit score. But if the borrower chooses to live without debt, they might not have much of a FICO^® This doesn’t mean that they have bad credit – just that they have no credit at all. If this is your situation, your lender will need to manually consider your repayment ability.
• You’re new to building credit. Building credit can take years. If the borrower is a young adult or they’ve just moved to the United States, they may not have a credit score. In this case, the lender may manually underwrite your loan.
• You’ve had financial problems in the past. Buying a home with a bankruptcy or foreclosure in your past may seem difficult, but it’s not impossible. Even if the borrower has a lower credit score, with a large down payment and plenty of savings, the mortgage lender might decide to give them a loan. However, this requires manual underwriting before approval.
• Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is too high. Lenders, or government regulators, put in place DTI and credit score limits to set the borrower up for repayment success. If your DTI is too high but you can show that it’s temporary or a normal part of your business endeavors, you may be able to demonstrate your creditworthiness during the manual underwriting process.

Manual Underwriting And Your Mortgage

Your options depend on the type of mortgage you’re seeking.

Conventional Mortgage

A conventional loan is any loan originated by a bank or mortgage company and sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. This allows the lenders to have the liquidity, or cash on hand, to continue originating mortgages. To sell their mortgages to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, lenders must conform to their requirements.

Fannie and Freddie use automated systems to complete their initial assessment of a mortgage applicant. Lenders can assign your application for manual underwriting, but they’re not required to do so.

Jumbo Loans

Jumbo loans are non-conforming loans, which means that they’re not subject to regulations, except for those dealing with non-discriminatory lending practices. Although lenders are automating the jumbo mortgage application process, there’s still a need for manual underwriting in the jumbo loan m