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How to Get Pre Approved for a Home Loan

The six steps to a mortgage preapproval, the documents lenders ask for, what a preapproval letter means, and a quick check of your debt-to-income ratio, credit and down payment.

Updated November 4, 2026. Free, no sign-up; everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is stored.

Mortgage pre-approval readiness check

Readiness
–
–Housing ratio (front-end DTI)
–Total debt-to-income (back-end DTI)
–Down payment

    How to get pre approved for a home loan: 6 steps

    1. Check your credit. Get your free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and fix errors before a lender pulls your credit.
    2. Work out your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Lenders divide your monthly debt payments, including the new house payment, by your gross monthly income. The check above shows yours.
    3. Gather documents. Lenders look at your income, assets, debts and credit. Typical requests: recent pay stubs, W-2s or 1099s for two years (tax returns if self-employed), bank and investment statements, ID, and details of any other debts.
    4. Apply with two or three lenders. A preapproval doesn't commit you to that lender (CFPB), so compare offers.
    5. Ask what each preapproval assumes. CFPB suggests asking lenders what assumptions they made and whether anything could lead to a denial or higher costs later.
    6. Keep your finances steady. Avoid new credit, large unexplained deposits or a job change until closing.

    What a preapproval letter is (and isn't)

    A preapproval letter is a lender's statement that it is tentatively willing to lend you up to a certain amount. It is based on assumptions and is not a guaranteed loan offer, but sellers often want one before accepting an offer. Letters often expire in 30 to 60 days (CFPB). Prequalification is usually a quicker estimate based on what you tell the lender; preapproval generally involves a credit check and documents.

    Debt-to-income guidelines

    A common conventional guideline is housing costs up to 28% of gross income and total debts up to 36%; FHA loans allow up to 43% total DTI (see the home affordability calculator for the full table). To see the payment behind a price, use the mortgage payment calculator.

    Common questions

    How do I get pre-approved for a home loan?

    Check your credit, work out your DTI, gather pay stubs, W-2s and bank statements, and apply with two or three lenders.

    Does a preapproval guarantee a mortgage?

    No. It's a tentative offer based on assumptions; final approval comes after underwriting and an appraisal.

    How long is a mortgage preapproval good for?

    Often 30 to 60 days (CFPB); lenders can update it.

    Does getting pre-approved hurt my credit?

    Lenders usually check your credit, which can cause a small, temporary dip; rate shopping within a short period limits the effect.

    Sources

    More mortgage and home calculators: Construction Loan · Conventional Loan · Prop 13 · USDA Home Loan

    Related

    General information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check important numbers with the official source before acting on them.