Your first call, and the documents a loan needs

The short version

A first conversation isn't an application, and it doesn't commit you to anything. You don't need a house picked out first, either. There's no cost to talk.

As a broker, I work with many lenders and programs, so the first conversation starts with your plans rather than one lender's menu.

What the conversation covers

I'll ask about your plans: whether you're buying or refinancing, and your timing. I'll also ask for the outline of your finances: your income, your assets, the debts you already pay, and your credit history.

From there, I can explain which kinds of loans may fit, and what each one would need from you.

That's the first item of the Home Express Mortgage Guarantee, word for word: "Before you apply, clear understanding of options and expectations - once you apply, you get a full list of any additional items I need from you and a written outline of each step, so no surprises."

How your documents reach me

There's nothing to bring to the call. When you're ready, you complete the application online at joefarro.com. Then you get a link to my secure website, where you can upload a general set of documents.

Once you and I have gone through that first review, I send you the full list of any additional items I need from you. Every document goes through the secure website, never by email or a web form.

The documents a loan generally needs

A lender will generally ask for recent pay stubs and bank statements. Beyond those, it depends on how you're paid.

• W-2s, if you're an employee. That includes pay with commission, bonus or overtime, which doesn't by itself call for tax returns.
• On most loans, tax returns, when income isn't straight salary, such as self-employed, rental or side income. A lender may ask for them in other cases too.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's own guide walks through buying a home step by step.