Know Your
Buying Power

Notify us immediately. Job changes, new debts, or large deposits can affect your approval. We may need to re-verify before closing. The worst thing you can do is stay silent—surprises at closing delay everyone.

Getting pre-approved requires a hard credit inquiry, which may temporarily lower your score by a few points. However, credit scoring models allow rate shopping—multiple mortgage inquiries within 14-45 days count as a single inquiry. The impact is minor and temporary.

Most pre-approval letters are valid for 60-90 days. If it expires before you find a home, we can renew it with updated documentation. Keeping your finances stable during this period is important—no major purchases or job changes.

Pre-approval is a strong indication, but not a guarantee. Final approval depends on the specific property (appraisal, title, insurance) and verification that your situation hasn't changed. Don't make major financial changes between pre-approval and closing.

Absolutely! That's the point. Pre-approval tells you how much you can borrow before you find a property. When you're under contract, we'll update the application with the specific property details.

We'll explain exactly why and what you can do to improve. Common issues include credit scores, debt-to-income ratio, or employment history. Many issues can be resolved—it's better to know now than after you've found a home.

You can! Pre-approval helps you understand how much you need to save. We can show you options at different down payment levels. Just be clear about your timeline—if you're still saving, that affects your strategy.

Yes, but the process requires more documentation. We'll need 2 years of personal and business tax returns, plus current profit/loss statements. Self-employed income is averaged over 2 years, so recent business growth may not fully count.