All lenders are federally regulated, BUT they all have different ratings (like finding an auto insurance carrier.)
Lending Tree is reputable and all lenders will ask for a million things. Many times people will go through a "Loan Broker" that does much of the leg-work for you, but you still have to provide the usual tax returns, pay stubs, etc. at least once. The loan broker will search for lenders that will accept the terms you hope to get. There is an additional fee built into your mortage for a broker, so it is up to you to determine if it is worth spending the money or can you make the time to get what the lender wants directly.
All lenders will require an appraisal, but the bill can be built into your loan papers, so it will not have to be paid upfront.
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