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What
is the difference between pre-qualifying and pre-approval?
A
pre-qualification is normally issued by a loan officer, who,
after interviewing you, determines the dollar value of a loan
you can be approved for. However, loan officers do not make
the final approval, so a pre-qualification is not a commitment
to lend. After the loan officer determines that you pre-qualify,
he/she then issues you a pre-qualification letter. This pre-qualification
letter is used when you are making an offer on a property. The
pre-qualification letter indicates to the seller that you are
qualified to purchase the house you are making an offer on.
Pre-approval
is a step above pre-qualification. Pre-approval involves verifying
your credit, down payment, employment history, etc. Your loan application
is submitted to an underwriter and a decision is made regarding
your loan application. If your loan is pre-approved, you are then
issued a pre-approval certificate. Getting your loan pre-approved
allows you to close very quickly when you do find a house. A pre-approval
can help you negotiate a better price with the seller, since being
pre-approved is very close to having cash in the bank to pay for
the house!
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