Start the Preapproval Process Early

As soon as you know you are in the market for a home loan, start shopping around. It’s best to talk to two or three lenders to see what rates and offers they have available. Although loan offers won’t vary wildly between lenders, you will obtain the absolutely best rates by doing a loan comparison.

Get Your Credit Score in Order

Get all three of your free credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Make sure that everything is in order on your credit reports and that you have the credit score you were expecting. Obviously, if you have some bad things reported on your credit history that are not yours, you need to report it and begin the process of having it removed. If you have negative things on your credit report that are actually your responsibility then you need to start taking steps right now to improve your credit score.

Begin Compiling Your Financial History

Each lender has different requirements, but due to the recent problems in the housing and financial sectors, lenders have become much stricter with their lending procedures. You’ll usually need to have two to three years of W-2s and tax returns, plus you’ll need to provide paycheck stubs and proof of employment. In addition, most lenders will need bank statements and information about any additional investment you may have such as stocks or other real estate holdings.

Know that Preapproval Loans Expire

You should be aware of the fact that preapproved loans are only good for a set time frame, usually 90 days. In some cases, you can get this time period extended if you aren’t having any luck finding a home you like. The reason that these preapproval loans expire is so the bank can protect its interests, the lender needs to be sure that you haven’t recently lost your job, become involved in a lawsuit or any other situation that could adversely impact your finances.