This article will give you a perspective through the eyes of a bank or financial institution so that you can know what they are looking for when it comes to deciding whether or not somebody is considered a trustworthy borrower, and what goes into the mortgage preapproval process.

The Difference Between Prequalified and Preapproved

While people will sometimes use the words prequalification and preapproval interchangeably, these two words do not mean the same thing and it is important to understand the difference.

Prequalification means that you have met with someone at a financial institution and discussed the particular issues of your personal finances such as your income, assets, commissions, and debts, and from that discussion the lender has offered an educated opinion as to how much money you are qualified to borrow.

Preapproval is a much more in-depth evaluation where the financial advisor will actually go over your paperwork such as past paychecks and pay stubs, tax forms such as W2's and 1099's, bank statements, credit reports, and any assets that are owned. After this evaluation you will receive a letter from the lender that specifies how much money you are allowed to borrow pending a good review of the property to be purchased.

What Type of Paperwork Does The Lender Look For?

One important thing that your financial institution will look for when deciding whether they should or shouldn't give you a loan is your credit score and past credit history. If you have a good history of paying back you credit cards on time, especially if you can spend $10,000 or more in a month and then pay it off rapidly, this is a good signal of financial competence.

So what to do if you have a low credit score or an unattractive credit history? Start by not charging anything more, and then pay off all your credit card balances down to zero. From then on, only charge on your credit cards what you have the money in the bank to pay off immediately.

Lenders will also consider your income over the past months and years by reviewing your paychecks and pay stubs, and they will also look for your tax forms to verify your income. They will want to see the paperwork for your other bank accounts or investment accounts so that they can verify your current assets and work that number into the total evaluation.

Also important is your current outstanding liabilities such as credit card debt or other loans. With all of this information, plus any other information deemed appropriate to your personal financial picture, your bank will decide how much money they would be willing to lend you for a home loan.