If you're in the market for a mortgage, you may want to set up a pre-qualification meeting with a bank or lender. Even if you're not sure which lender you'd like to apply for a mortgage with, pre-qualification can still be a valuable step to take. And given that it only takes a few minutes, it's something every potential homeowner can do.
So why should you go to a mortgage pre-qualification meeting with a lender? Here are just a few reasons why it's a great idea.
It Will Give You A Good Idea Of How Much House You Can Afford
A mortgage pre-qualification is not the same thing as a pre-approval. When you pre-qualify for a mortgage, your lender will use information that you provide – information like your debts, your income, and your assets - to determine what size of a mortgage you can afford. This affordability information discovered during pre-qualification is then verified during pre-approval.
Pre-qualification doesn't involve a credit check, and it only takes a few minutes. The advantage of a pre-qualification is that it helps to guide your house hunt. When you know what kind of a home you can afford, it's easier to navigate the real estate market.
It Will Help You To Budget Your Expenses
A pre-qualification is a great way to get your household budget sorted out as a homeowner. When you pre-qualify, your potential new lender will tell you what kind of a mortgage you might be able to get. That means you can easily budget for estimated mortgage expenses and know what to expect before you apply for a mortgage.
Many Agents And Sellers Require Pre-Qualification
The pre-qualification phase is the first step in the mortgage process. When you're buying a home, agents and sellers will want to see that you have a good chance of getting a mortgage, as this makes the sale much easier. For that reason, a number of sellers and real estate agents highly prefer buyers who have been pre-qualified – and many of them simply won't sell to a buyer who hasn't been pre-qualified.
Mortgage pre-qualification is a great way to sort out your budget, determine what kind of a home you can afford, and persuade a seller to sell to you. And given that it only takes a few minutes to get pre-qualified, it's a simple step that simply should not be skipped.