In
the real estate lending world there is typically something called a
“Pre-Approval” letter or a “Pre-Qualification” letter. The purpose of
these letters is to communicate to the parties in the transaction that
the borrower (whoever is trying to get financing), based on preliminary
information supplied to the lender, will successfully obtain funding of
the mortgage for which the borrower has applied.
In
some lending markets there is no difference between an approval letter
and a qualification letter and they are considered to be identical
animals with different names. However, depending on the real estate
lending market in question, there can be a meaningful distinction
between the two. For the sake of discussion, we’ll just ignore the
distinctions and assume that we are in one of the markets that operates
using only a “pre-approval letter.”
What
makes things interesting is that there is a time lag between when the
pre-approval letter was issued and when the loan hopefully funds. A lot
can happen between these two points in time that would negatively affect
the risk complexion of the borrower and other factors that would cause
the lender to back out of the transaction. Thus, the pre-approval letter
is not a guarantee that the desired loan will fund.
As noted here,
a pre-approval is conditioned upon the assumption that your financial
circumstances will remain the same between the time you apply and the
time you close your loan. If you lose your job, if you take on other
significant credit, or if you default on another loan, you may be denied
a mortgage despite your pre-approval.
Here are examples of some specific ways to avoid losing your mortgage after pre-approval, as explained by Yahoo:
- Watch your spending
- Don't Borrow From Your Credit Card for the Escrow Deposit
- Don't Change Jobs & Maybe Even Stall a Promotion
- Avoid Getting Another Loan
- Stay Married
As already noted,
getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a smart step for any homebuyer.
When you apply for pre-approval, the bank checks your credit and asks
for all your financial documents. The pre-approval letter gives you
confidence that the bank wants to lend to you, and it will also tell you
the limit on what you can borrow. It sets a helpful parameter and
expectation for you as you search for a new home. However, a
pre-approval letter does not guarantee that you will end up with a
mortgage from that lender, who may ultimately decide to deny your loan
request.
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