Pre-Approved Home Loans

Pre-approved home loans are the way to go now days. Pre-approved home loans mean that no longer do home buyers have to spend hundreds of hours searching for the perfect home only to be turned down by the lending institution. With a pre-approved home loan or pre-qualification letter, a buyer is in an immediately better bargaining position in regards to the seller.

Sellers are much more interested in showing their homes and negotiating with someone/s who already have a pre-approved home loan. This is because heartbreak works both ways. No longer do seller have to spend hours cleaning and straightening and making arrangements with their real estate agent for showing their home, only to find that the buyer does not have a pre-approved home loan and has been denied a loan by their lenders. In fact, now many sellers will only show their homes to those with pre-approved home loans under their belts. Sellers regard this group as serious buyers rather than weekend lookers.

Both buyers and sellers need to know the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval. Pre-qualification is an informal agreement between you and your lender. The bank gives their opinion on how much they think they will be able to lend to you based on information that you have provided to them. Your lender will not do any background checks at this point. It relies solely on you portraying an accurate picture of your financial circumstances. Because this is more like a friendly handshake, the lender can decide not to give you the loan if they find out later that you have been less than candid with them.

Pre-approval is for the serious-minded. With a pre-approved home loan, the lender will actually check credit history, employment information, assets and liabilities. The only thing the lender won't check is the property that you plan to buy. This is because you're still looking for it. For those who are concerned that they might not qualify for a mortgage, it is highly recommended that they go for pre-approval. A pre-approved home loan takes much of the worry out of looking and keeps one focused on searching for homes within their price range. This still doesn't mean your loan will be approved since the lending institution will still need to take a look at the home you intend to buy, but the odds are more in your favor than with a simple pre-qualification.

Even one-step more secure than a pre-approved home loan is a loan commitment. Banks and other lenders will not issue a loan without checking out both you and your new home. The bank may run additional financial checks on the buyer plus the home must appraise at or higher than the sales price. The home's title must also be clear and free of problems. The loan commitment happens only once you've found a home. While you're looking, though, getting a pre-approved home loan will make the process go smoother and save a lot of heartache in the end.