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Buying5 min readJanuary 29, 2026

The Mortgage Pre-Approval Process Explained Step by Step

What Is Pre-Approval?

A mortgage pre-approval is a lender's conditional commitment to loan you a specific amount. It's based on a thorough review of your finances and gives sellers confidence that you can close.

Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval

  • Pre-qualification: Quick estimate based on self-reported information. Minimal verification.
  • Pre-approval: Full document review, credit pull, and underwriting analysis. Much stronger.
  • Sellers and real estate agents take pre-approvals seriously. Pre-qualifications? Not so much.

    What You'll Need

    Gather these documents before applying:

    1. Income verification: Last 2 years of W-2s, last 30 days of pay stubs, last 2 years of tax returns (if self-employed)

    2. Asset verification: Last 2 months of bank statements, retirement account statements

    3. Identification: Valid driver's license or government ID, Social Security number

    4. Additional: Divorce decree (if applicable), bankruptcy discharge papers (if applicable), landlord contact for rental verification

    The Process

    Step 1: Application (15-30 minutes)

    Complete our online application or meet with a loan officer. We'll collect your basic information and run a credit check.

    Step 2: Document Review (1-2 days)

    Our team reviews your submitted documents and verifies income, assets, and employment.

    Step 3: Pre-Approval Letter (24-48 hours)

    If everything checks out, we issue a pre-approval letter specifying the loan amount you qualify for.

    How Long Does Pre-Approval Last?

    Most pre-approval letters are valid for 60-90 days. If yours expires before you find a home, we can typically renew it quickly with updated pay stubs and bank statements.

    Does Pre-Approval Hurt Your Credit?

    A pre-approval requires a hard credit inquiry, which may temporarily lower your score by 5-10 points. However, multiple mortgage inquiries within a 14-45 day window count as a single inquiry.

    Get Pre-Approved Today

    Start your home buying journey with The Taberne Group. Our streamlined process gets you a pre-approval letter in as little as 24 hours.

    Ready to Take the Next Step?

    Get pre-approved in as little as 24 hours. The Taberne Group is here to help.

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