FAQ
Got questions about TheRuleTool? Here's everything you need to know.
This mortgage FAQ answers the most common questions from loan officers, branch managers and underwriting teams before they get started with TheRuleTool.
About the product
What is TheRuleTool?
TheRuleTool is an AI-powered mortgage guideline search engine. Instead of manually digging through hundreds of pages of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, USDA, or Non-QM PDFs, you ask your question in plain English and get the exact answer, cited to the source document, in seconds.
How does TheRuleTool's AI search work?
Our AI engine, Augie AI, continuously reads and updates itself against official agency guidelines and top investor overlays. When you ask a question, TheRuleTool identifies the exact guideline that applies to your scenario and shows you the answer alongside the source document, so you can verify it yourself.
Does TheRuleTool replace manual underwriting?
No. TheRuleTool is a research tool that speeds up guideline lookups — the underwriting decision is still made by your team or your AUS. What we remove is the wasted time spent searching hundred-page manuals.
Which agencies and investors does it cover?
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, USDA, and Non-QM guidelines from major investors, plus lender-specific overlays.
Does TheRuleTool cover Non-QM loans?
Yes. With the V2 release, TheRuleTool now includes full Non-QM guideline support, including DSCR, bank statement loans, asset depletion, and more.
Can TheRuleTool check investor overlays, not just agency guidelines?
Yes. TheRuleTool combines agency guidelines (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, USDA) with investor overlays in one search, so you don’t have to cross-reference multiple documents to confirm eligibility.
Does TheRuleTool cover Non-QM and Jumbo guidelines?
Yes, TheRuleTool includes Non-QM and Jumbo/Non-Conforming guides in addition to standard agency guidelines, available on the Company plan.
How is TheRuleTool different from AllRegs?
TheRuleTool is built specifically for fast, AI-powered search rather than manual navigation. Loan officers get a direct answer with a source link instead of reading through full guide sections page by page.
Can I look up mortgage guidelines by text message?
Yes. TheRuleTool includes a text-based AI chat feature, so you can ask a guideline question from your phone and get an instant answer without opening the app.
How often are the guidelines in TheRuleTool updated?
TheRuleTool is updated daily with the latest agency and investor overlay changes, so loan officers always work from current information.
Fast setup — start the same day
How long does it take to get started?
Most users are up and running the same day they sign up. There’s no lengthy implementation — you get access, log in, and start searching guidelines within minutes, not days.
Do I need IT support to set up TheRuleTool?
No. TheRuleTool doesn’t require an IT project or a multi-week rollout. Setup is self-serve, which means there’s no procurement process, no vendor onboarding calls, and no waiting on an implementation team. You create your company account, add your loan officers, and the whole team is searching agency guidelines and investor overlays the same day. Legacy guideline platforms often require weeks of configuration before a team can use them productively — TheRuleTool is built to work the moment you log in, with guides updated daily so every answer reflects current guidelines rather than a cached version from months ago.
Can my whole team start the same day we sign up?
Yes. Once your company account is set up, every loan officer on your team can be added and searching guidelines immediately — there’s no waiting period between purchase and active use.
Why is TheRuleTool faster to implement than others?
Because TheRuleTool is built to work the moment you log in — no data migration, no lengthy training, no IT ticket. Compare that to legacy guideline platforms that can take days to fully configure.
Integrations and PPE
Does TheRuleTool integrate with Optimal Blue and Polly?
Yes. TheRuleTool integrates directly with Optimal Blue and Polly, two of the most widely used pricing engines in the mortgage industry. That means a loan officer or processor working inside their pricing workflow can validate agency guidelines and investor overlays without switching screens or opening a separate browser tab. This reduces the chance of pricing a loan against the wrong overlay and speeds up the time it takes to structure a loan correctly the first time, which matters most when a borrower or realtor is waiting on an answer.
Does TheRuleTool work with Optimal Blue?
Yes. TheRuleTool connects directly to Optimal Blue, so you can check agency and Non-QM guidelines while you’re already pricing a loan.
Does TheRuleTool work with Polly?
Yes. The same guideline search you use standalone is available inside your Polly PPE workflow, so pricing and guideline validation happen in one place.
Do I need a separate login for the PPE integration?
No. Once TheRuleTool is connected to your Optimal Blue or Polly account, guideline search appears directly inside your existing PPE session — no second login, no extra tab.
Does TheRuleTool work inside LoanMAPS?
Yes. If you use LoanMAPS as your LOS, TheRuleTool is available directly inside the platform to resolve guideline questions without leaving your workflow.
Can it integrate with other LOS/PPE platforms?
We’re continually adding integrations based on customer demand. If your PPE or LOS isn’t listed yet, contact our team to discuss your setup.
How current are the guidelines?
Our team and our AI continuously monitor guideline changes. When an agency or investor updates a guideline, TheRuleTool updates with it — you’re never working off a PDF downloaded months ago.
Does TheRuleTool work on mobile?
Yes, you can search guidelines from any device, anytime — ideal for when you’re with a client or out of the office.
For loan officers
How does it help me answer client questions faster?
Instead of putting a client on hold to dig through a manual, you type the question into TheRuleTool and get a cited answer in seconds — so you can respond while you still have them on the phone.
Can I use it during a live call with a borrower?
Yes. TheRuleTool is built for real-time use — fast enough to check a guideline mid-conversation without losing the moment with your client.
Will TheRuleTool help me close more Non-QM loans?
Non-QM scenarios are often where loan officers lose deals to slow answers or uncertainty. TheRuleTool gives you investor-specific Non-QM guidelines instantly, so you can confidently tell a borrower whether they qualify.
How do I find Fannie Mae guidelines quickly?
Instead of searching through hundreds of pages in the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, TheRuleTool’s AI search returns the exact guideline in seconds. Just type your question in plain language and get a direct answer with a link back to the source.
How do I check DTI requirements for FHA loans?
Search “FHA DTI requirements” in TheRuleTool and get the current agency threshold along with any compensating factors, updated daily as guidelines change.
Does TheRuleTool work for self-employed borrower guidelines?
Yes. Self-employed income documentation requirements vary by agency and investor — TheRuleTool surfaces the specific guideline for each scenario instead of requiring manual lookup across multiple guides.
For branch managers & companies
Can it standardize answers across my whole team?
Yes. Every loan officer on your team searches the same up-to-date source, which reduces the risk of inconsistent or outdated answers going out to borrowers.
Does it reduce underwriting errors from overlays?
By surfacing the exact investor overlay alongside the agency guideline, TheRuleTool reduces the chance of a loan officer or underwriter applying the wrong limit.
Can I see how my team is using TheRuleTool?
Company plans include visibility into team usage, so branch managers can see adoption and identify where additional training may help.
For underwriting teams
Do TheRuleTool's answers include a citation to the source?
Yes. Every response TheRuleTool generates includes a citation back to the official guideline document it was pulled from, whether that’s a Fannie Mae Selling Guide section, an FHA handbook chapter, or a specific investor overlay bulletin. This lets underwriters and loan officers verify the answer against the original source in seconds instead of trusting an AI-generated answer blindly. TheRuleTool is designed as a research and lookup tool to speed up guideline review — the final underwriting decision always stays with your underwriter or automated underwriting system (AUS).
Can underwriters rely on it during file review?
TheRuleTool is designed as a research tool to speed up guideline lookups during file review — the final underwriting decision always stays with your underwriter or AUS.
Pricing, free trial & demos
How much does TheRuleTool cost?
We offer plans for individual loan officers and plans for companies/teams. See current pricing on our pricing page.
Does TheRuleTool offer a free trial?
Yes — TheRuleTool offers a 30-day free trial so your team can test real guideline searches against real loan scenarios before committing. There’s no long-term contract required to start, and if you decide not to continue after the trial period, cancellation just requires written notice to our support team before day 30. Most teams use the trial period to compare how quickly they can find an answer in TheRuleTool versus digging through a 300-page agency selling guide manually — that comparison is usually what settles the decision.
What happens after my 30-day trial ends?
You can choose the plan that fits you — individual or company — and keep all the guideline search habits your team has already built.
Can I upgrade from individual to a company plan?
Yes, anytime. Reach out to our team and we’ll migrate your account without losing your search history.
How do I get a demo for my team?
Book a demo and we’ll walk your team through TheRuleTool using your own guideline scenarios — the fastest way to see if it fits how your team already works.
Still have questions? Browse the full mortgage glossary
Simple Pricing
Built for Every Mortgage Professional
For Individuals
Loan Officer
Perfect for individual loan officers seeking streamlined tools
$20 / month
- AI-powered search
- Easy access to agency guidelines
- AI Text Feature
- Updated daily for accuracy
For Companies
Company / Lender
Ideal for lending offices needing advanced features and support
Based on company size, call for a quote
- All features in Loan Officers Plan
- Agency guidelines + investor overlays
- Jumbo/Non-Conforming guides and Outlier tool
- Integrated with Polly Pricing and Product Engine
- Multiple user accounts
Still have a question?
Let our team show you exactly how fast your team can be up and running.
