The Bennett Team · Canopy Mortgage

Pre-Approval Cheat Sheet

Everything you need to know before you hit "submit", so your application goes through smoothly the first time.

Step 1, Unfreeze Your Credit

Do this first

If your credit is frozen, the application cannot pull your report, it will stop dead in its tracks.
Unfreeze at all three bureaus: Equifax (equifax.com), Experian (experian.com), TransUnion (transunion.com).
It only takes a few minutes online and you can re-freeze after your application is submitted.
Not sure if it's frozen? Try logging into Credit Karma or AnnualCreditReport.com.

Step 2, Gather Your Documents

W-2 / Salaried employees

Last 2 pay stubs (most recent)
Last 2 years of W-2s
Last 2 months of bank statements (all pages, all accounts)
Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport)
Most recent mortgage statement (if you own property)

Step 2 (Alt), Self-Employed Documents

Self-employed / 1099

Last 2 years of personal AND business tax returns (all pages)
Last 2 months of business bank statements
Year-to-date Profit & Loss statement (CPA-prepared preferred)
Business license or CPA contact info

Step 3, Upload Securely in the Portal

Safe & encrypted

The application portal uses bank-level encryption, it's safe to upload PDFs directly.
Scan or photograph documents clearly. PDFs are preferred; clear photos work too.
Do NOT email sensitive documents, the secure portal is the right place.
Upload as you go, you don't need everything before you start.

Step 4, Know What to Expect in the Form

Heads up

The form will ask for things like sales price and loan amount, just enter your best guess. These are placeholder numbers only, not commitments. Our team will review and finalize the real figures once we're working together.
Think of it like filling in a rough estimate: close is good enough. We'll update everything to match the actual purchase contract or appraisal before anything is finalized.
The application autosaves, so you can stop and come back if needed.
If a question confuses you, stop and text our team at (360) 544-9203. Don't guess on anything important.

Bonus Tips, Don't Blow It at the Finish Line

Don't make any large purchases or open new credit accounts before closing.

Gift funds for a down payment? Let RJ know upfront, there's a process for that.

Don't pay off old collections without asking RJ first, it can sometimes lower your score.

Keep all financial statements for the past 60 days, deposits over $1,000 may need explanation.

Still have questions? Text our team.

Text our team line and someone will get back to you fast. If you get stuck anywhere in the application, just text, we'll walk you through it step by step.

For informational purposes. Not financial or legal advice. Equal Housing Lender. Canopy Mortgage, LLC · Ferndale, WA · NMLS #RJBennett1117