--- title: "Start a Mortgage Conversation | What You Will Be Asked" canonical: https://www.ondorealestate.com/qualify/ --- # Start a mortgage conversation Here is what we will ask — and what a conversation will not promise. [Home](/)QualifyA first conversation is how we learn occupancy, how you are paid, what you owe, and what cash you can document. It is not an instant approval, a rate lock, or a commitment to lend. Snapshot as of 2026-08. What a mortgage conversation is for as of 2026-08. Swipe sideways to compare every column. QuestionWhat you will be askedWhat you will not be promised First conversationExpect questions about occupancy (primary, second home, or investment), income type (W-2, 1099, K-1, bank-statement), monthly debts, assets and large deposits, gift funds, property type if known, and authorization to pull credit when you are ready. Identity and contact information are required to continue.A conversation does not approve you, lock a rate, quote APR, or promise that a program will fit. Pre-approval, if issued later, is still not a commitment to lend. Calculators on this site are illustrations. If a file is openedCredit authorization when you are ready, then the document stack for your income type. A letter, if issued, is still a snapshot.A lock, APR, or clear-to-close from this page. Pre-approval is not a commitment to lend. Fair Housing: questions are about the file (income, debts, occupancy, property), not about protected class. ## Bring this, not a peak month - Occupancy: primary, second home, or investment. - Income type: W-2, 1099, K-1, mixed, or a bank-statement conversation. - Debts you know about — including a car you might finance next week. - Whether gift funds or assistance are part of cash to close. You do not need a complete tax-return stack on the first call. You will need a documented stack before an underwriter can issue findings. Do not move large cash or open new credit while you wait without asking how it must be sourced. Read more: [what a mortgage conversation asks](/blog/what-a-mortgage-conversation-asks/). After a letter, the stages are [pre-approval vs AUS vs clear to close](/blog/pre-approval-vs-aus-vs-clear-to-close/). [Talk with a loan officer](/contact/)[Loan FAQs](/faq/loans-faqs/)[Affordability illustration](/calculators/affordability/) ## Common questions ### Does filling this out or talking with a loan officer mean I am approved? A conversation does not approve you, lock a rate, quote APR, or promise that a program will fit. Pre-approval, if issued later, is still not a commitment to lend. Calculators on this site are illustrations. ### What will I be asked? Expect questions about occupancy (primary, second home, or investment), income type (W-2, 1099, K-1, bank-statement), monthly debts, assets and large deposits, gift funds, property type if known, and authorization to pull credit when you are ready. Identity and contact information are required to continue. ### Do I need a complete document stack before the first conversation? You do not need a complete tax-return stack on the first call. You will need a documented stack before an underwriter can issue findings. Do not move large cash or open new credit while you wait without asking how it must be sourced. ## Before you apply [What a Mortgage Conversation Asks, and What It Will Not Promise Occupancy, income type, debts, assets, and credit authorization. A conversation is not approval, a lock, or a quote. Supporting guide for the qualify page.](/blog/what-a-mortgage-conversation-asks/)[Pre-Approval Letter vs AUS Findings vs Clear to Close Three documents, three jobs. A letter is a snapshot, AUS is an engine result, CTC is an underwriter sign-off. None of them is a guarantee you will fund.](/blog/pre-approval-vs-aus-vs-clear-to-close/)[Utah home loans Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, and specialty programs. Education first, then a conversation with a loan officer.](/loans/)[Loans and financing FAQs Down payment, pre-approval vs pre-qualification, DTI, variable income, and refinance questions.](/faq/loans-faqs/)[Home affordability calculator Estimate a price range from income, debts, and expenses. Illustration only.](/calculators/affordability/) ## A message is not an application Send a note or book a call. We will tell you what we can see from a conversation and what still has to be documented. [Send a message to a loan officer](/contact/)[Utah home loans](/loans/)[Home affordability calculator](/calculators/affordability/) Loan information is provided by Ondo Real Estate (NMLS ID on file). This is not a commitment to lend, a loan approval, or an offer of credit. Rates, terms, and payments shown are estimates for illustration only, are not a quote, and are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and market conditions. You are not required to use Ondo for financing to buy or sell with Ondo. Equal Housing Lender. Program rules, fees, and county loan limits change. Confirm the current published schedule and lender overlays. Nothing here is a quote, a lock, or a credit decision. [Licensing and disclosures](/licensing/)