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Prequalification

Prequal is the most common and the simplest path to get started. It also is the least reliable and the least informative. A lender will ask about your income, debts, assets, and pull your credit. Prequal often starts with YOU typing your info into the internet. The lender will then determine a maximum qualifying purchase price and you’ll receive a prequalification letter.

A prequal isn’t a guarantee you will be approved for a mortgage, but it’s a good option if you’re early in the home-buying process, need to move forward quickly, and if details don’t concern you.

Preapproval

Preapproval is similar to a prequalification, but more accurate and detailed. A lender will verify your information provided by collecting documents (tax returns, paystubs, bank statements, W-2s), and providing a more accurate maximum purchase price and lender decision.

While it is more work for you initially, preapproval allows a lender more time and information to address any challenges or surprises that could come up. Most homebuyers and mortgage lenders go no further than preapproval.

Underwriter Approval/Sure Thing Approval

This is a unique option we offer at The Cowart Team backed by NFM Lending. This is a full mortgage underwrite where your application and data is reviewed and approved by a human underwriter BEFORE YOU GO UNDER CONTRACT. The Sure Thing Approval is a great tool in helping your offer stand out from the crowd. It also gets most of the work out of the way early in the process, provides certainty for you, comes at no cost to you, and makes homebuying easier and quicker once you are under contract. We love using a Sure Thing Approval to help our homebuyers win!