How to get pre-approved for a mortgage before you shop for a home
Pre-approval strengthens your offer and clarifies your budget so you can tour homes with confidence.
What is a pre-approval?
A mortgage pre-approval is a lender’s conditional commitment stating how much you can borrow based on your credit, income, assets, and debts. It’s stronger than pre-qualification and typically valid for 60–90 days.
Step-by-step: get pre-approved
- Check your credit (AnnualCreditReport.com) and dispute errors.
- Gather documents: last 2 years of W‑2s/1099s, 30 days of pay stubs, 2 months of bank statements, ID.
- Compare lenders: request Loan Estimates from 2–3 lenders (rates, APR, fees).
- Complete the application and consent to a hard credit pull.
- Receive your pre-approval letter indicating loan type, max amount, and rate range.
Accessibility tips for document uploads
- Use large, high-contrast scans.
- Rename files descriptively, e.g., “2025-04_paystub_JSmith.pdf”.