Pre-Approval Specialist

crosscountrymortgage; Shirley (NY); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

CrossCountry Mortgage is seeking a Pre-Approval Specialist to deliver timely, policy-aligned pre-approval decisions that support Loan Advisors and downstream processing. You will ensure eligible files are accurately documented and ready for underwriting, with clear narratives and actionable next steps.

The role emphasizes thorough document review, adherence to investor guidelines, and proactive collaboration with processors and underwriters to maintain high decision quality.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of mortgage underwriting and investor guidelines.
• Knowledge of Encompass LOS, preferred.
• Familiarity with conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, and portfolio products.
• Proficiency with Automated Underwriting Systems (AUS), including DU and LP, and interpreting findings.
• Excellent attention to detail and pattern recognition to identify inconsistencies.

Responsibilities

• Review applications within 24 hours to ensure completeness and identify gaps.
• Qualify income, assets, credit, and liabilities to support eligibility.
• Order verifications (employment, assets, credit) as needed.
• Render guideline‑aligned pre‑approval decisions.
• Create concise decision narratives for underwriting and audits.
• Prepare files for contract and lock consult within 24 hours.

Skills

Mortgage underwriting knowledge

Attention to detail

Clear decision communication

Pattern recognition

Documentation writing

Tools

Encompass LOS

AUS (DU/LP)

Job description

CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM)is the nation's number one distributed retail mortgage lender with more than 9,000 employees operating over 700 branches and servicing loans across all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Our company has been recognized ten times on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private businesses and has received many awards for our standout culture.

A culture where you can grow! CCM has created an exceptional culture driving employee engagement, exceeding employee expectations, and directly impacting company success. At our core, our entrepreneurial spirit empowers every employee to be who they are to help us move forward together. You’ll get unwavering support from all departments and total transparency from the top down.

CCM offers eligible employees a competitive compensation plan and a robust benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, as well as a 401K. We also offer company-provided short-term disability, an employee assistance program, and a wellness program.

Position Overview

The Pre‑Approval Specialist delivers timely, accurate, and policy‑aligned pre‑approval decisions that protect CrossCountry Mortgage, support Loan Advisor recommendations, and enable downstream operations to proceed without rework. This role ensures eligibility determinations are accurate and supported by clear, defensible documentation. The Pre‑Approval Specialist provides objective assessments that prepare files for smooth transition into operational processing.

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain high decision quality and operational efficiency by meeting accuracy, timeliness, capacity, escalation, and review‑related performance expectations.
• Review submitted applications and supporting documents within 24 hours to ensure each file meets company completeness standards and to identify missing, unclear, or inconsistent information.
• Request and track additional borrower documentation through Blend or other approved systems.
• Evaluate whether files meet defined consult‑readiness criteria.
• Qualify borrower income, assets, credit, and liabilities to support eligibility determinations.
• Order and review verifications as needed (employment, assets, credit, etc.) to substantiate file data.
• Research investor guidelines and document relevant references and citations in the file.
• Determine eligibility‑supported loan programs and structures based on file data and investor requirements.
• Render accurate, guideline‑aligned pre‑approval decisions.
• Document whether a file is approved or not and record eligibility constraints, assumptions, and identified risks.
• Create a concise decision narrative that supports underwriting, rework diagnosis, coaching and training, and audit and compliance review.
• Develop and document a realistic action plan for clients who are not yet eligible, specifying what must change, required documentation or behaviors, and estimated timing.
• Communicate and coordinate the action plan with Loan Advisors so they can confidently explain next steps to clients.
• Consult underwriting proactively to validate pre‑approval logic when guidelines are unclear.
• Collaborate with processors for experiential insight into approval patterns.
• Escalate ambiguity, risk, or ethical concerns to the Production Manager.
• Support diagnosis on denials or post–pre‑approval rework when required.
• Prepare files for contract and lock consultation by reviewing executed contracts, updating loan applications to reflect contract terms, verifying borrower, property, agent, and third‑party contacts, and accurately setting up fees so the file is consultation‑ready.
• Issue initial disclosures to borrowers through the system upon Loan Advisor direction and send disclosures the same day as the lock consult whenever possible.
• Complete required setup checklist items and submit files to setup after the lock consult, ensuring files are prepared for the lock call within 24 hours and transferred to setup within 24 hours of signed disclosures.

Qualifications and Skills

• Knowledge of mortgage underwriting and investor guidelines.
• Knowledge of Encompass LOS, preferred.
• Familiarity with conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, and portfolio products.
• Proficiency with Automated Underwriting Engines (AUS), including DU and LP, and interpreting findings.
• Excellent attention to detail and pattern recognition skills to identify inconsistencies and trends.
• Skilled in writing clear, well‑organized documentation and explaining decisions with concise rationale and next steps.
• Skilled in exercising measured, sound judgment under pressure and communicating decisions clearly to internal partners.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job. However, this job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC strives to provide employees with a robust benefit package: https://mycrosscountrybenefits.com

California residents: Please see CrossCountry’s privacy statement for information about how CrossCountry collects and uses personal information about California applicants.

CrossCountry Mortgage supports equal employment opportunity in hiring, development and advancement for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, ancestry, marital status, uniformed service, covered veteran status, citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, and lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, domestic violence victim status (where applicable), protected hair style or texture, genetic information (testing or characteristics), or any other protected status of an individual or because of the individual’s association with a member of a protected group or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (“Protected Characteristics”). The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self‑expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation. The Company is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture that welcomes diversity and inclusion.

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC (NMLS3029) is an FHA Approved Lending Institution and is not acting on behalf of or at the direction of HUD/FHA or the Federal government. To verify licensing, please visit www.NMLSConsumerAccess.org.