Loan Underwriting
Underwriting procedure basically involves ascertaining the creditability and capability of the borrower to repay the loan. In cases where the loan is a commercial loan or a mortgage loan the projected value of the collateral is also forecast. Thus, basically, the loan underwriting process involves ascertaining the recovery of money and its rate of recovery. The process in itself is quite intricate, and difficult. The loan underwriting process is usually conducted for bigger loans such as mortgage loans and auto loans. The smaller loans, such as cash advance loans and payday loans however do not have complex underwriting processes, instead, a simple approval process is used. In United States Freddie Mae and Fannie Mae, along with the Federal Housing Administration provide detailed underwriting guidelines.
What is Loan Underwriting
The best way to understand the loan underwriting process, is to understand the considerations and aspects of loan underwriting. The loan underwriting guidelines that are provided by the aforementioned institutions are based upon the following aspects.
•Income: One of the most important aspect that is considered during the loan underwriting process is the income of the borrower. The loan’s installment is also calculated as per the income of the borrower. The size of the loan i.e.: the total amount that is lent, the down payment and rate of interest are all decided upon the income of the borrower.
•Debt to Income Ratio: The second important factor that is considered while underwriting the loan is the debt to income ratio, which is the ratio between the monthly payable debts and the monthly income. The debt to income is sometimes also calculated for the entire year. The intention of calculating such a ratio is that it gives the perfect amount of income that is going to be used to pay debts.
•Employment and Source of Income: A very important aspect that is considered by the underwriters is the employment status of the borrower and the source of income. The underwriters also further analyze the income projection and the growth of income rate, in cases where the loan is very long term loan. Read the rest of this entry »

