Should you talk to a mortgage professional before house hunting?

Absolutely!  Even if you haven't so much as picked out houses to visit yet, it's important to see your mortgage professional first. Why?  Knowing how much you can afford is a key element in shopping and bidding on a home.

When we pre-qualify you, we help you determine how much of a monthly mortgage payment you can afford, and how much we can loan you.  Once you qualify, we give you what's called a Pre-Qualification Letter (your real estate agent might call it a "pre-qual"), which says that you are serious about buying a home.

When you find a house that catches your eye and you decide to make an offer, being pre-qualified is very important.  This gives you the confidence and the competitive edge to get you into the home that you want.

More importantly, to a home seller, your being pre-qualified is like you walked into their house with a suitcase full of cash to make the deal!  They won't have to wonder if they're wasting their time, scared that you may not be able to close the deal. You have the clout of a buyer ready to make the deal right now!

You can always use the calculators available on our site to get an idea of how much mortgage you can afford -- but it's very important to meet with us.  For one thing, you'll need a Pre-Qualification Letter for your real estate agent.  For another thing, we may be able to find a different mortgage program that fits your needs better.