5 Reasons Pre-Approval is Key to Your Financial Success
You are a More Powerful Buyer - Real estate agents and sellers will see you as a serious buyer when you have the backing of a lender. It means a lender has looked at your financial background and says that you’re able to afford a particular house payment.
You Save Time - House hunting with no direction on what you can afford can be a waste of your time. Knowing just how much house you can afford will help ensure you’re looking at houses in your price range. This also means you can focus on things like the features of the home and the location, rather than worry about whether the house is in your price range.
Reduce Surprises - Talking to a mortgage consultant before you “find the perfect home” can help ensure that you’re not surprised when it’s time to make the offer. Whether it’s a debt-to-income issue or credit report blemishes, getting your ducks in a row early is helpful.
Better Bargaining Power - With a pre-approval letter, you’ll likely have more negotiating power because sellers know that you’ve already spoken to a lender. They won’t have to wait for you to “talk to the bank” between negotiations.
Typically Shorter Closing Period - Pre-approved borrowers have already spoken with a mortgage consultant and given some of their information to the lender. This will most likely speed up the overall approval process. This means the appraisal can be ordered sooner and the process can move forward. That’s good news for everyone involved. An actual mortgage application moves you to the next step. A pre-approval letter is not a guarantee, but it is a solid peace-of-mind tool to help you along your home buying journey