Mortgage Qualification & Approval

Between our roller coaster job market and saving for a down payment while battling inflation, buying a house can feel unattainable for many of us. Add to that our anxiety over good or bad credit scores, and it may feel like you’ll never own a home.  But contrary to popular belief: You don’t need a...

The employment scene looks very different today than it did just a few years ago. And more of us are wondering whether we can get a mortgage or refinance our home loans without a traditional 9-to-5. In this article, we’ll explain how you can qualify for a mortgage without a job. Is It Possible To...

You know you’re ready to become a homeowner. But when you apply for a conventional loan with a bank, credit union or online lender, you’re getting turned down. Maybe it’s because you’re a first-time buyer and your credit score isn’t high enough or you haven’t built up enough of a credit history. Or maybe you’ve...

To thank veterans for their service, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps to guarantee VA home loans made by lenders like banks, credit unions and online lenders. When you start shopping for a home with a VA loan, you may find several lenders in your area that offer VA loans. If the program seems...

During your home buying journey, your real estate agent or a home seller might ask you to provide them with a mortgage preapproval letter. And hopefully, your answer will be, “Of course!” A preapproval letter is an important document. It’s a clear signal that you’re serious about buying a home and can make a serious...

Open houses and viewings are an exciting part of the home buying process, but for many aspiring homeowners, the journey starts before they step foot in a house that’s for sale. It starts with a mortgage preapproval. Getting preapproved is an optional, but important, step because it can streamline the process of buying a property,...

You got your finances in order to help you buy your dream home, and you organized a tall stack of paperwork to get a mortgage preapproval. You did everything right. But with home prices on the rise, you might discover that the price tag on your dream home is higher than the amount you’ve been...

You cleaned up your credit history, saved a large down payment and applied for a mortgage. Now your lender has given you that coveted preapproval letter, and you’re ready to shop the real estate market. That’s great news! But home buyers must be aware that it’s possible to have a mortgage application denied even if...

Going to college and buying a home are both important milestones, but student loan debt might make them feel like conflicting goals. Luckily, you can pursue both higher education and homeownership by understanding how loan debt might affect your mortgage. Read on to learn how student loans factor into getting a mortgage and get some...

Sometimes everything happens at once. Let’s say you’re a passionate entrepreneur with a small business that’s finally ready to scale up with the right financing when you learn that your family is about to grow, and you need a bigger house. Applying for a mortgage and a business loan at the same time is a...

In a competitive real estate market, one of your top priorities should be to stand out to sellers. And a mortgage preapproval can be the thing that launches your bid to the top of the offer pile because it proves to home sellers that you’re a serious buyer.  A preapproval is a letter from a...

Buying a house with a mortgage is the most popular way Americans finance home purchases. Getting preapproval is an important step in the process. It’s proof a lender has reviewed your finances and that you should qualify for the loan. This makes your offer stronger to sellers.  But does getting preapproved hurt your credit score?...