Tips Most Buyers Wish They Knew Before Starting the Mortgage Pre-Approval Process
November 10, 2025
Smart strategies every homebuyer should know to secure a stronger mortgage pre-approval, compare lenders effectively, and avoid costly mistakes.
Before you start your mortgage pre-approval process, it’s important to understand the key factors that can impact your approval strength, loan cost, and overall homebuying experience.
Here are a few things most buyers wish they knew beforehand:
1. Look Beyond the Interest Rate
Make sure you look at the
annual percentage rate (APR), which gives you the total cost of the loan on a yearly basis — including both interest and fees, not just the interest rate.
2. Compare Different Types of Lenders
Compare offers from
different types of lenders, not just multiple of the same type.
For example:
- Banks
- Credit unions
- Online lenders
- Mortgage-only lenders
Each one can vary in rates, fees, and customer experience.
3. Manage Credit Pulls Carefully
Ask lenders to confirm they
won’t do a hard credit pull until you are ready, and try to have all hard credit pulls done within a short timeframe so it’s only treated as
one inquiry for your credit score.
4. Get a Fully-Underwritten Pre-Approval
Ensure they will give you a
“fully-underwritten” pre-approval, as less-strong approvals are virtually meaningless in competitive markets.
5. Evaluate Customer Service and Responsiveness
Factor in each lender’s customer service, response times, and professionalism during your initial conversations.
When it comes time to make an offer, you’ll want to work with someone who is fast to respond, reliable, and knows what they’re doing.
Learn More
Find more information on these tips and more in our free guide:
👉
How to Secure a Strong Mortgage Pre-Approval
Recommended Resources
"How to Secure a Strong Mortgage Pre-Approval"
"Steps to Buying a Home"
Learn More About Buying A Home




