Have Your Credit Pre-Approved

Getting a credit pre-approval means you receive a loan qualification from your mortgage company before you have found a home, based on a review of your credit and finances. A credit pre-approval shows sellers that you're a qualified buyer and helps you establish a clear price range.

There are many good reasons for getting a credit pre-approval before you buy a home:

• It makes your home search more efficient by allowing you to focus only on homes you know you can afford.
• It lets sellers know that you can back up your offer, so they don't have to worry about whether you can get a loan.
• It lets you know early in the process if you will have difficulty getting pre-approved, so you have a chance to address problems before finding a home.
• It gets much of the mortgage process out of the way up front, so you can complete your transaction quickly after you find a home.