Careful, pilgrim...

Last time we did a home refi, I told my lender that I wanted to apply for some credit cards shortly after we closed. He didn't mince any words and told me NOT to apply for any credit until after out load had "settled" - which he told me could be up to a week or 10 days after closing. He said that the "closing" date wasn't the end of the underwriting scrutiny, and if I went out and applied for credit cards the day after closing, it could cause the mortgage approval to get pulled, or at least delayed/complicated due to additional scrutiny. Basically, he told me not to futz around with anything credit-related, which he clearly thought was foolish, until the fat lady had really finished singing. Apparently, the "closing date" wasn't quite the final note.

It might vary by lender but if it were me I would not cut it too close. Check with your mortgage lender to be sure you have a green light before starting the credit card apps.