2. Acquiring New, Undisclosed Debt
If your debt-to-income ratio is high and you go out and buy a new car, that could hamper the loan, Parsons said. (Your debt-to-income ratio represents the total amount of monthly debt payments, including the house payment, divided into monthly income.) Lenders perform a pre-closing credit check, known as a credit refresh, immediately before funding the loan to make sure the borrower hasn’t overextended themselves at the last minute. “They are looking to see if there’s any new debt that hasn’t been disclosed,” Parsons said.
Read More: How to Find and Choose a Mortgage Lender
If you decide to take on new debt before your loan closes, you’ll need to provide a letter of explanation to the lender. Hard inquiries will also appear on the credit refresh, like any request for a new line of credit.