If there is one signer (so not applying for joint credit) does the borrower need to sign the top of the first page?
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Hi Madilly,
Yes, there are 2 lines at the top of first page. One for borrower and one for co-borrower(if there is a 2nd borrower). Always have them sign there.
Thank you 
I always wonder because right above where they sign it says both borrowers should sign if applying for joint credit. So if joint credit isn’t involved I thought maybe a single borrower wouldn’t sign. I always have them sign anyway but didn’t know if that was necessary.
I have had the same situation, where one of the spouses is the borrower and the other will only appear in the title. Usually both sign, sometimes the only borrower complaints and only that person signs.
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Yes it can be confusing. There are never any printed names below the lines so it can be easily missed. I always confirm up front if either spouse is non-borrower.
All of which is changing as of January 1, 2021 with a new 1003 and new rules along with new signature requirements and initials in some spots.
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Hopefully the new form will be more clear.
More clear? LOL–the old form was 4 pages with demographic info pages added for each borrower. The new form is TWELVE PAGES LONG.
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Oh boy. I guess that was my wishful thinking!
Last week I did one with only the borrower’s name, they did not include the wife.
We just had one where both husband and wife were attorneys. Only the husband signed.
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So, the borrower in the loan was only the husband!?.. and both in the title?
The one I did last week for BOA was SEVENTEEN pages. Yup! 
Yes. That’s correct.
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A Residential Loan Application???
Did he sign the top of the first page?
Yep! The new 1003, goes into effect January 1, but some banks are already using it. It’s a larger typeface, the demographic information addendum is now not an addendum but part of the app, and it had two places to sign. I haven’t read the articles to discern all the differences yet, but someone said 12 pages, mine was 17. I’ve only seen one, so I can’t account yet for the variation. Perhaps the borrower just had a lot of accounts listed. Don’t recall…but if you know BOA, you know they also have 30 pages of closing instructions, so the package was ridiculous! Almost 200 pages.
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Yikes! It sounds like extra work for same fee 
Depends on the lender whether a non-borrower spouse signs page one on the old form. For example:
Quicken does not. Freedom Mortgage does.
On the NEW form… at the top left of page one, right below the borrower’s name and AKAs, there is a section marked “Type of Credit”. If applying for Individual Credit, no action is required. If applying for JOINT credit, fill in the number of people applying for credit (ie. husband and wife = 2), then initial on the line. The directions are not specific as to who initials. I have both borrowers initial, and so far have not received any complaints.
Sign and date on page 5. Sign and date on the last page.
DO NOT sign and date on page 7 in the section marked Loan Originator Information. That is to be completed by the Loan Originator.
It is more pages to print, definitely. I have the feeling that, when used with something other than an IRRRL, there may be additional pages requiring signature. However, I have not yet seen that.
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what on earth would make a lender need 12 pages for an application?!?! Talk about killing trees!