It saves time and makes sense to find out how much you can borrow early in the home buying process.

When you get pre-qualified, you will know how much you can afford and you will be in a better position as a buyer. You will have a basis to compare different loans and make the best choice for you, which may mean tremendous savings over the life of the loan. It also makes sense to secure a lender's commitment as soon as you know you want to buy. This is especially true in a "hot" market when houses are selling quickly.

You may already be familiar with the terms "pre-qualification" and "pre-approval." Generally pre-qualification means that you get an estimate of how much you may be able to borrow based on your financial circumstances.

Pre-approval generally means that you secure the lender's commitment to let you borrow an amount before you've actually applied for a loan.

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