Underwriter (5524)
About the position At NewFed Mortgage, we believe that buying a home should be empowering — not overwhelming. Our mission is to provide a streamlined, transparent mortgage experience, backed by a team that truly cares. We foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement, and we know that delivering on that mission begins with having skilled professionals in key roles. As a Mortgage Underwriter, you’ll play a critical part in maintaining loan quality, ensuring compliance, and supporting our sales and operations teams. You’ll review and underwrite Conventional, FHA, and VA loans and, ideally, bring experience with a broader range of products including USDA, Bond/HFA, Jumbo/Non-Agency, or Non-QM loans. In this fully remote role, you’ll be responsible for clear communication, timely decision-making, and a thorough, guideline-driven review process that keeps loans moving forward without compromising quality. Responsibilities • Underwrite new loans and generate conditions in alignment with NewFed’s service-level standards. • Evaluate borrower qualifications and loan documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with investor, agency, and company guidelines. • Underwrite FHA, VA, and Conventional loans; experience with USDA, Bond/HFA, Jumbo, or Non-QM programs is a plus. • Communicate loan decisions, underwriting conditions, and guidance clearly and professionally with processors and loan officers. • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of agency and investor guidelines, overlays, company products, and risk assessment tools. • Review credit reports, income documentation, asset statements, preliminary reports, judgements, bankruptcy documents, appraisals, title work, and legal disclosures. • Demonstrate proficiency in manual underwriting practices and in assessing complex borrower scenarios. • Partner with Quality Control, Compliance, Post-Closing, and Funding to resolve issues and ensure final file quality. • Finalize underwriting decisions by documenting approvals and uploading all necessary documents into the LOS (Encompass). • Participate in risk mitigation by staying current on fraud prevention tools, industry trends, and secondary market developments. • Foster a collaborative and respectful working relationship with sales, operations, and management teams. Requirements • High school diploma or equivalent. • 5+ years of mortgage underwriting experience required, ideally in a purchase-focused, retail lending environment. • 5+ years of credit and appraisal experience covering FHA, VA and Conventional Loan Programs required. • FHA DE required; VA LAPP/SAR preferred. • Deep understanding of agency/investor guidelines, compliance standards, and fraud prevention tools. • Strong technical proficiency with Encompass LOS and other mortgage banking software preferred. • Technical proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite. • Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. • Effective communication skills with a customer-first mindset. • Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. • Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional relationships and contribute to a positive, solutions-oriented culture. Nice-to-haves • Experience in underwriting for a broad range of products, including Non-QM, USDA, and state housing/bond programs, is highly preferred. Benefits • Full-time employees are eligible to participate in NewFed’s benefits package and 401(k) plan on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. • Includes vacation, sick, personal time, and company holidays to support a healthy work-life balance. • Includes a company match to support long-term financial goals. Apply tot his job