Why Getting Pre-Approved Should Be Your First Step

In 2018, we are anticipating the continuation of a market where the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the number of homes for sale.  As you may have seen in the past few years, the Portland Oregon's competitive marketplace requires that buyers often need to stand out -especially in a multiple offer situation. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.

Knowing your budget will give you the confidence of knowing if your dream home is within your reach.  Freddie Mac lays out the advantages of pre-approval in the ‘My Home’ section of their website:

“It’s highly recommended that you work with your lender to get pre-approved before you begin house hunting. Pre-approval will tell you how much home you can afford and can help you move faster, and with greater confidence, in competitive markets.”

One of the many advantages of working with a local real estate professional is that we have relationships with lenders who will be able to help you with this process. Once you have selected a lender, you will need to fill out their loan application and provide them with important information regarding “your credit, debt, work history, down payment and residential history.” 
Freddie Mac describes the ‘4 Cs’ that help determine the amount you will be qualified to borrow:

1. Capacity: Your current and future ability to make your payments
2. Capital or cash reserves: The money, savings, and investments you have that can be sold quickly for cash
3. Collateral: The home, or type of home, that you would like to purchase
4. Credit: Your history of paying bills and other debts on time

Getting pre-approved is one of many steps that will show home sellers that you are serious about buying, and it often helps speed up the process once your offer has been accepted.

Bottom Line

Many potential home buyers overestimate the down payment and credit scores needed to qualify for a mortgage today. If you are ready and willing to buy, you may be pleasantly surprised at your ability to do so as well.

Adapted from Keeping Current Matter article Dec 2017