Should I get pre-approved before I start seriously shopping for a home?

In most cases, yes — it is one of the most useful early steps. A pre-approval is a lender’s conditional statement of how much it may be willing to lend you, based on information you provide and, usually, documents it verifies. It tells you the price range that is realistic for your budget, shows sellers that a lender has already looked at your finances, and lets you move quickly when the right home appears.

It is not a guarantee of a loan. The final approval still depends on the property, the appraisal and a full underwriting review, and letters typically carry an expiration date.

Browsing before you are pre-approved is fine — the property search on this site is open to everyone — but before you write an offer, most sellers and their agents will want to see a letter. The Financing & Pre-Approval guide explains what lenders look at and how to compare Loan Estimates.