Guide
Questions to ask before you close
A short list of questions for the person handling your mortgage, and how to check the answers against the public record.
What is your NMLS number?
This is the first question. A licensed officer will give it without hesitation. Use it to confirm their license status and company on the public record before you go further.
What company are you licensed under?
Their answer should match the company on the NMLS record and on your loan estimate. If the company on your paperwork is different from the one on their license, ask why.
How long have you been licensed?
You can check this yourself. The public record shows when many officers were first licensed. Experience is not everything, but it is a fair thing to know about the person guiding your largest purchase.
Can you explain every fee on my loan estimate?
A good loan officer will walk through the loan estimate line by line. If anything is vague, ask for it in writing. The numbers, not the reassurances, are what you are signing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important question?
Ask for the NMLS number, then verify it. Everything else is easier once you know you are dealing with a licensed professional on the public record.
Should I get loan terms in writing?
Yes. Rely on the loan estimate and closing disclosure, not on verbal promises. Those documents are the real terms.
Can I check their license myself?
Yes, in about a minute. Search their name or NMLS number on KeysAhead or on the official NMLS Consumer Access site.
Homebuyer due diligence
Check the people handling your closing.
Search any U.S. mortgage loan officer by name, company, city, or NMLS number. Free, no login.
Look up a licenseA one-minute check before the biggest signature stack of your life.