Mortgage Glossary
Manual Underwriting
Defined by Onias Derilus, Mortgage Capital · NMLS# 1859012 · Florida licensed mortgage broker
Manual underwriting is a hands-on review of a loan file by a human underwriter when an automated system can't approve it.
What Manual Underwriting means
It's used for thin credit, higher DTI, or unusual situations. The underwriter weighs compensating factors and documentation more closely than the automated path.
Florida example
A Florida buyer with no credit score qualifies through manual underwriting using rent, utility, and insurance payment history. The underwriter builds the case the automated system couldn't score.
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