What is included in a gift letter? If you're borrowing money from parents for your home purchase down payment, lenders will want to see a gift letter for mortgage approval in NYC.The gift letter should also spell out the donor's relationship to the borrower and provide contact information. If you use a gift payment, you'll need a gift letter for the mortgage if the gift is made within three months of the closing. If you go through a bank they will provide the gift letter form to you to get completed. If someone provides a handwritten letter it is filed away. The letter must explain who is gifting the money, where the donor's funds are coming from and the relationship between the donor and the recipient. A gift letter is a common requirement when submitting an offer on a coop apartment in NYC. A gift letter for a mortgage is a legal, written statement your lender may require if you're gifted cash to buy a home. Just talk it over with your loan officer.