Funny, my broker told me otherwise. Is it possible this varies by state/company?
I had a soft pull right before closing. They look to see no major new debt, still have job.
I know some people, like ushdadude said, have had every pull questioned. It just makes life easier to not apply for new credit before and during the process. I missed out on the csr promo for me and my wife because we were going through the mortgage process. Just not worth the hassle.