3) Do you have coverage for times when you are not available?

Everybody needs a break and busy loan officers usually have reciprocal coverage agreements with like-minded colleagues. Make sure you have those phone numbers and instructions for when they should be used.

A good loan officer will make sure you know well in advance that he's going to be away for a certain period of time and that you will be covered while he's gone. They will typically try to time things so that none of the really important items come up while they're gone and will have one of their trusted coworkers cover for them while they're gone. No one will know your situation as well as your loan officer, but try to be patient while they enjoy some well-deserved time off.

Some Final Thoughts:

More than anything else, try to use common sense when picking a loan officer. If someone starts giving you rates right away on a 30-year fixed loan, without asking any questions about your situation, there's something missing. They should be able to get a good idea of your situation and have you answer the questions they need to know in 10-15 minutes, then give you a good idea of how they can help.

Particularly in the case of refinancing, the loan officer should ask what you are trying to accomplish and help you figure out the best way to accomplish that. Only when he has these answers can he guide you to the most appropriate products or even advise you that perhaps now isn't the time.