Get A Mortgage Pre-Approval

Get a Mortgage Pre-Approval

It’s a very good idea to get a pre-approved mortgage before you start shopping. Many realtors will ask if you’ve been approved. A lender will look at your finances and figure the amount of mortgage you can afford. Then the lender will give you a written confirmation, or certificate, for a fixed interest rate. This confirmation will be good for a specific period of time. A pre-approved mortgage is not a guarantee of being approved for the mortgage loan.

Even if you haven’t found the home you want to buy, having a pre-approved mortgage amount will help keep a good price range in mind.

Bring these with you the first time you meet with a lender:

• Your personal information, including identification such as your driver's license
• Details on your job, including confirmation of salary in the form of a letter from your employer
• All your sources of income
• Information and details on all bank accounts, loans and other debts
• Proof of financial assets
• Source and amount of down payment and deposit
• Proof of source of funds to cover the closing costs (these are usually between 1.5% and 4% of the purchase price)