What does it Mean?
There is a difference between getting pre-qualified and pre-approved to buy one of the condos for sale downtown. The difference is a pre-qualification means you may be able to get the loan based on skimming of your income and other information. This is why you may get pre-qualified credit card loan offers from time to time. The information usually comes from a list.
When you are pre-approved for a real estate loan, it means you are able to get that money. You can use it to buy one of the condos for sale downtown that you are in love with. This process involves you actually applying for a loan, providing all of your documents, and completing everything the lenders needs to get you approved.
They will tell you the amount of money you can borrow and the interest rate. The offer is going to be good for a set period of time. Typically, it is going to be up to 90 days after you have been approved. Armed with this information, you can start looking around. Once you find the place you wish to make an offer on, they can help you to proceed.
Know what you can Afford
It doesn’t make sense to look for condos for sale downtown that are outside of your price range. With the pre-approval process, you are able to shop within your market price. You can use filters online to find those at or below your approved amount. You can talk with a real estate agent and they can refer you to real estate on the market that fits that amount too.
If you can find one of the condos for sale downtown that you want to make an offer on that is less than you were approved for, that is exciting! Not only does it mean you can buy it, but it also means you can reduce your monthly payments below what you know you can pay. That means more money for savings or you can use it to pay off the mortgage early.
Make an Offer
You have bargaining power with the pre-qualification for a mortgage loan. When you make an offer on one of those condos for sale downtown, the seller is going to see you are already approved. It can be enticing to them to accept the amount you offer rather than to hold out for another offer to come along.
Since you are already approved, you aren’t going to be on pins and needles after the offer, hoping you can get the money. It is very upsetting to some consumers who find the perfect place but then they can’t get approved for the loan. The closing can be done in less time too if you already have your loan approval completed.
Sometimes, there are credit report issues that prevent someone from getting the loan. Finding out about them early on before you look at property can be helpful. It gives you time to evaluate the situation and to work to clear it up. Then you can move forward with buying a place and not have unexpected surprises crash your dream.