Getting Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

Before officially launching your search for just the right Tampa Bay home, you will need to know how much you can invest. The best way to ensure you are looking at homes in the right price range for your budget is to get pre-qualified for a mortgage.

GETTING PRE-QUALIFIED Supply, a bank or lender with your overall financial picture, including your debt, income and assets. After evaluating this information, a lender can discuss with you the mortgage types and amount for which you would qualify. Remember: Loan pre-qualification does not include an analysis of your credit report and does not involve an in-depth look at your financial ability to purchase a home. A pre-qualification is a general review of your eligibility while a pre-approval is the next step to finding out exactly how much you can invest for a new home.

GETTING PRE-APPROVAL Completing this stage will help you stay realistic with your expectations while shopping for a home in the Tampa Bay area. You’ll know exactly how much you are able to invest since a lender or bank will now perform an extensive check on your financial background and current credit rating once you provide the necessary documentation and fill out an official mortgage application for which you will pay a fee. The lender can then tell you the specific mortgage amount for which you are approved and the interest rate you will be charged on the loan. In some cases, you might be able to lock in a specific rate.

Armed with this information, you can show a potential seller that you are serious and when you make an offer it’s with the understanding that you are sure it’s what you can afford. Being pre-approved could also prevent you from losing the home to another potential buyer who already has financing arranged.

It’s important to note that obtaining a pre-qualification or pre-approval from a lender does not obligate you to secure a loan through that same lender.