How do you get pre-approved for a mortgage?

Mortgage pre-approval is a lender's review of your credit, income, assets, and debts to establish what you can realistically borrow. You provide documentation, the lender verifies it, and you receive a pre-approval letter you can shop with. It's more substantive than pre-qualification, which is typically an estimate based on unverified information.

What you'll need.

Pre-approval is a document review. Having these ready makes it fast:

  • Recent pay stubs and two years of W-2s or tax returns
  • Bank and asset statements
  • Photo ID and Social Security number for the credit check
  • Details on current debts and housing history

What the lender actually checks.

The review covers your credit history, debt-to-income ratio, income stability, and available funds for down payment and closing. The result is a realistic borrowing range — not a guess.

A pre-approval letter is not a final loan approval. Final approval comes after underwriting reviews the specific property and your full verified file. But sellers and agents treat a genuine pre-approval as a serious signal.

When to get pre-approved.

Before you shop. Pre-approval tells you your realistic range, surfaces any credit issues while there's still time to address them, and puts you in position to move when the right home appears.

Bryan handles pre-approvals directly for buyers in Nevada, Texas, and Utah — one conversation to start, clear guidance on documents, and straight answers about where you stand.

Common questions.

General answers — your situation deserves a specific one. Bryan is a call away.

How long does pre-approval take?

With documents in hand, the initial review typically moves quickly — often within a day or two. Complex income situations, like self-employment, can take longer to document properly.

Does pre-approval hurt my credit score?

It involves a credit inquiry, which can have a small, temporary effect. Credit scoring models generally treat multiple mortgage inquiries within a shopping window as a single event.

How long is a pre-approval good for?

Pre-approval letters typically carry an expiration, commonly measured in weeks. If your search runs long, updating it is usually a quick refresh of documents.

Pre-qualification vs pre-approval — what's the difference?

Pre-qualification is an estimate based on what you state. Pre-approval verifies your documents. When you're making offers, verification is what carries weight.

Can I get pre-approved before choosing a home?

Yes — that's the point. Pre-approval is about you, not the property. The property enters the picture at final approval, after you have an accepted offer.

Get answers about your situation.

Guides explain the general rules. A short conversation with Bryan tells you how they apply to you — no obligation, no pressure.