US Mortgage Underwriter

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients

Salary range: Rs 200000 - Rs 900000 (ie INR 2 - 9 LPA)

Min Experience: 4 years

Location: Chennai

JobType: full-time

We are seeking an experienced US Mortgage Underwriter to join our growing mortgage operations team. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in US mortgage underwriting, strong analytical skills, and hands-on experience evaluating residential mortgage loans in compliance with US regulatory and investor guidelines. This role requires a detail-oriented professional who can independently assess borrower risk using the 4C underwriting framework (Credit, Capacity, Capital, Collateral) while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely loan decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform end-to-end underwriting of US residential mortgage loans, including Conventional, FHA, VA, and Jumbo loans, in accordance with investor and agency guidelines (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, USDA).
• Analyze loan files using the 4C underwriting principles:
• Credit: Review credit reports, credit scores, payment history, liabilities, and derogatory credit events.
• Capacity: Assess borrower income, employment stability, debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, and ability to repay.
• Capital: Evaluate borrower assets, reserves, down payment sources, and liquidity.
• Collateral: Review appraisal reports, property value, condition, and marketability.
• Validate income documents including pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, bank statements, and self-employed income documentation.
• Ensure loan files comply with US mortgage regulations, including ATR/QM, TRID, Fair Lending, and investor-specific policies.
• Identify and mitigate underwriting risks, document loan decisions clearly, and issue approvals, suspensions, or denials with appropriate conditions.
• Collaborate closely with processors, loan officers, and quality control teams to resolve conditions and ensure smooth loan closings.
• Maintain productivity and quality benchmarks while adhering to SLAs and compliance standards.
• Participate in audits, post-closing reviews, and quality control feedback loops to continuously improve underwriting accuracy.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 4–10 years of experience as a US Mortgage Underwriter with strong hands-on underwriting exposure.
• In-depth knowledge of US mortgage underwriting guidelines and investor requirements.
• Strong understanding and practical application of the 4C underwriting framework.
• Experience underwriting Conventional, FHA, VA, and Jumbo loans is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in US mortgage LOS systems (e.g., Encompass) and document analysis tools.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and risk assessment skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• DE or LAPP certification (preferred but not mandatory).
• Experience working with offshore or US-based mortgage operations teams.
• Familiarity with QC findings and audit remediation.