To apply for a home loan in Salt Lake City, you contact a licensed mortgage advisor, also called a loan officer, who takes your application and guides you through every step. That person reviews your credit, income, and assets, helps you compare loan programs, and submits your file for underwriting. The Sharla Ellis Team at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is one way to apply directly, by phone at (801) 580-1861, by email at [email protected], or online at sharlaellis.com.
That is the short answer. The more useful answer is understanding how the application actually works, what you will need to bring, and how to reach a real person who can start the process with you. Below we walk through who you contact, the step-by-step path of a mortgage application, the documents you will gather, and how to get in touch with our team in Salt Lake City.
When you are ready to apply for a home loan, the person you reach out to is a mortgage advisor. You may also hear this role called a loan officer, a loan originator, or a mortgage consultant. They are licensed to take your application, walk you through your options, and shepherd your file from the first conversation to the closing table. You do not need to find this person through a bank teller or a real estate agent, although either can refer you. You can contact a mortgage advisor directly.
There are a few common ways people start. You can call a local advisor's office, send an email, fill out a short form on the lender's website, or meet in person. With the Sharla Ellis Team, all four are available, and you work with a consistent point of contact rather than a rotating call center. We are a direct lender, which means we take your application, handle underwriting in house, and fund the loan, so there is no handoff to a third party in the middle of your process.
Ways to reach a mortgage advisor to apply
By phone, which is often the fastest way to ask questions and get a feel for whether the advisor explains things clearly.
By email, which lets you share your situation in writing and attach documents securely when the advisor sends a link.
Through an online form or application portal, which starts your file and lets you upload documents on your own schedule.
In person, at a local office, if you would rather sit down and talk through your plans face to face.
A licensed advisor will have an NMLS number, which is a unique identifier issued through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. You can ask for it and look it up to confirm the person is licensed. Working with a local Salt Lake City advisor also means you have someone who knows Utah programs, local appraisers, and the way listing agents here read an offer.
Applying for a mortgage can feel like a lot from the outside, but the path is predictable once you know the stages. Here is how the process usually unfolds, from your first call to the keys in your hand.
First conversation. You talk with your advisor about your goals, your timeline, and your finances at a high level. This is also where you ask questions and decide whether the advisor is a good fit.
Application and document gathering. You complete the formal application and provide documents that verify your income, assets, and identity. This is the heart of applying.
Pre-approval. Once your file is verified, the lender issues a pre-approval letter that tells you and sellers how much you can borrow. This step lets you shop with confidence.
Choosing a loan program. Your advisor compares your options, such as conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and Utah Housing down payment assistance, and helps you pick the one that fits your situation.
Processing and underwriting. After you have a property under contract, the lender orders an appraisal, reviews your file in detail, and confirms everything checks out.
Closing. You sign the final paperwork, the loan funds, and the home is yours.
You can begin this process before you have found a house. In fact, getting pre-approved early is one of the smartest moves a buyer can make, because it tells you your budget and shows sellers you are serious. If you want a closer look at choosing where to apply, our guide on which lender to talk to for pre-approval in Salt Lake City walks through it.
We take your application, review your credit, income, and assets, and walk you through each step in plain language. No pressure and no obligation to proceed.
Gathering a few documents before you apply makes everything smoother and lets your advisor give you a real answer rather than a rough estimate. You do not need every item perfectly organized to make the first call, but having these ready will speed up your application.
Recent pay stubs covering the last 30 days, which show your current income.
W-2s or tax returns for the past two years (self-employed buyers should also bring profit-and-loss statements).
Bank and asset statements showing your down payment and reserve funds, which are the savings you keep after closing.
A list of monthly debts, such as car payments, student loans, and credit cards, so your advisor can calculate your debt-to-income ratio, which is the share of your income that goes to debt.
Government-issued photo identification, such as a driver license or passport.
If your paperwork is not quite ready, that is fine. Part of our job is helping you see where you stand and what to adjust before you apply, so your application is as strong as it can be when you start writing offers. If you are early in the journey, our first-time homebuyer roadmap for Salt Lake City lays out the full path from preparing your finances to getting the keys.
We are not the only lender in Salt Lake City, and we will not pretend to be the right fit for every buyer. What we offer is a direct contact path to an experienced local advisor and a team that has helped Salt Lake City buyers apply and close for decades.
More than 30 years of Salt Lake City lending. We have guided buyers through several rate cycles and know how local appraisals, title work, and neighborhoods behave.
A full menu of loan programs. Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and Utah Housing down payment assistance, compared side by side for your situation rather than pushed one size fits all.
Recognized service. The team has ranked among the Top 1% of national mortgage originators, earned the number one client satisfaction scores at Fairway four years running from 2022 through 2025, and Sharla is a Telly Award winner and host of American Dream TV.
A real local office and a consistent point of contact. You can reach us at 2150 South 1300 East, Suite 150, in Salt Lake City, and you work with our team rather than a rotating queue.
To apply, the simplest first step is to call or email and tell us where you are in the process. Whether you are months away from buying or ready to write an offer this week, we will meet you where you are and help you start your application when you are ready.
You contact a licensed mortgage advisor, also called a loan officer, who takes your application and guides you through the process. You can reach one by phone, email, an online form, or in person. The Sharla Jolley Ellis Team at Fairway Independent Mortgage in Salt Lake City is one option, reachable at (801) 580-1861 or [email protected]. Talking to more than one lender to compare is reasonable and encouraged.
You start by reaching out to a mortgage advisor and having a first conversation about your goals and finances. From there, you complete a formal application and provide documents that verify your income, assets, and identity. The advisor reviews your file and, once it is verified, can issue a pre-approval letter so you know your budget before you shop.
Most applications require recent pay stubs covering the last 30 days, W-2s or tax returns for the past two years, bank and asset statements showing your down payment and reserves, a list of your monthly debts, and a government-issued photo ID. Self-employed buyers should also bring profit-and-loss statements. Having these ready lets your advisor verify your file and give you a real number rather than an estimate.
Completing the initial application and getting a verified pre-approval can often take one to three business days if your documents are ready. The full process, from application through underwriting to closing, commonly runs about 30 days once you have a property under contract. Your timeline depends on your situation, how quickly documents are provided, and the loan program you choose.
Yes, and many buyers do. You can apply and get pre-approved before you start shopping, which tells you your budget and shows sellers you are a serious buyer. The final loan is tied to a specific property, so the last stages of underwriting happen after you are under contract, but the application and pre-approval can come first.