Let’s start with the (blatantly) obvious: Getting a mortgage and buying a house involves a lot of money. And the answers you give on your mortgage application have a direct impact on how much money you’ll get approved for—or whether you’ll be able to get the loan in the first place. So it’s not surprising that some people may be tempted to fudge the facts just a bit.
After all, it’s just paperwork, and a little white lie. What can it hurt?