The questions that matter most when choosing a mortgage lender are about process and people, not just rate: who will underwrite your file, how pre-approval is done, how fast conditions are turned, what your lender's fees are, and whether the loan officer will answer the phone in week three. Rate matters, but a lender who misses your closing can cost you the house.
About the pre-approval
1. Will a human review my income and assets before I make an offer? You want an underwritten pre-approval, not an automated guess. See Pre-Qualified, Pre-Approved, Underwritten.
2. Which program are you recommending and why? A good answer compares at least two programs against your situation.
3. What could cause this approval to fall apart? A strong loan officer will name the specific risks in your file.
About cost
4. What are your lender fees, in Section A of the Loan Estimate? See How to Read a Loan Estimate.
5. Does this quote include points? See Are Mortgage Points Worth It?.
6. How long is the lock, and what does an extension cost? See Rate Lock vs Float.
7. Can you show me two or three pricing options side by side? No points, points, and a lender credit.
About the process
8. Who underwrites the loan, and where? In-house underwriting or a lender with a strong investor relationship can move faster than a file sent into a distant queue.
9. How fast do you typically turn conditions? See Mortgage Conditions.
10. When will I get the Closing Disclosure? It must arrive at least three business days before signing. See Closing Disclosure and the 3-Day Rule.
11. Who will I talk to week to week, and how do I reach them after hours?
About options
12. If I do not fit this program, what else do you offer? A lender with one bank's products can only say no. A broker model can place unusual files with multiple investors, including bank statement, DSCR and asset-based loans.
13. Have you closed loans like mine? Self-employed, physician, VA, condo, new construction: ask for the specifics.
14. How do you work with my agent? Agents and listing agents want proactive updates and fast pre-approval letters.
About the loan officer
15. What is your NMLS number? Then verify it yourself at NMLS Consumer Access. You can see licenses, employment history and any public regulatory actions. Every licensed loan officer has one.
What good answers sound like
Specific, unhurried, and willing to tell you what could go wrong. Be cautious of anyone who quotes a rate before seeing your credit, promises approval before seeing documents, or pressures you to commit on the first call.
Comparing quotes
Compare on the same day, same program, same lock period, using the Loan Estimate. Shop within about two weeks so your credit is treated as one inquiry. See Does Shopping for a Mortgage Hurt My Credit?.
Why ask me
- I answer the question before I sell you anything. If renting, waiting or a different program is the better move, I will say so.
- Real numbers, not a calculator guess. I price your actual scenario, side by side, with the fees on the page.
- Every program under one roof. Conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, and non-QM options like bank statement, DSCR and asset-based loans, so the program fits you instead of the other way around.
- You talk to the principal. Ricky Khamis is President of EPiQ Lending, NMLS #173141, lending in Arizona since 1999 and a 2025 Presidents Club Winner at CMG Home Loans. Direct line: (480) 999-9842.
EPiQ Lending is NMLS #1936984, at 7975 N. Hayden Road, Suite A-101 in Scottsdale. Verify all of it before you trust any of it: Ricky's EPiQ Lending profile, the Scottsdale branch, and the license itself at NMLS Consumer Access. Hold every lender to that standard, including us.
More plain-English answers in the Mortgage Education library.
Equal Housing Opportunity. This is general information, not a commitment to lend or an offer to extend credit. Program guidelines, eligibility requirements and documentation standards vary by investor and change over time. Rates, terms and program guidelines change and depend on credit approval, property appraisal and other qualifying factors. Not all applicants will qualify. This is not legal or tax advice; consult a qualified professional about your own situation.
Find out which program actually costs you less
FHA, conventional and jumbo price the same borrower very differently once the mortgage insurance is compared across the years you will own the home. Tell me the shape of your file and I will run them side by side.
Looking at a specific home? Send me the address and I will run the numbers: rickykhamis.com/analyze
