Get pre-approved before you tour.
Sellers ignore offers without a pre-approval letter. I'll connect you with a local lender who can give you a real number in a day or two — bring your own if you already have one.
- Local lender who answers the phone
- Bring your own — no pressure either way
- No spam, no rate quotes, no surprise calls
Pre-qualified is a guess. Pre-approved is real.
Most buyers think these mean the same thing. They don't. Sellers do know the difference, and it's the one a competing offer often comes down to.
| Pre-qualified | Pre-approved | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A back-of-envelope estimate based on numbers you give the lender | The lender pulled your credit, reviewed your income + assets, and committed to a specific loan amount |
| Credit pull | Soft pull or none — zero impact | Hard pull — 3–5 point temporary dip |
| Documents required | None — just answers | Paystubs, W2s, bank statements, tax returns |
| Turnaround | Same day | 1–7 days |
| What you walk away with | A non-binding estimate | A letter sellers respect |
| When to use it | You're 6+ months out and just curious | Before you tour anything serious |
5 steps to the strongest letter you can hand a seller.
There are tiers of pre-approval. The strongest one — fully underwritten — means the lender's underwriter has already approved you. All that's left is the appraisal on the house you pick. Sellers treat those letters almost like cash offers. If you have W2s and bank statements ready, the whole flow is 2–4 business days; self-employed buyers should budget a full week.
Send docs
Credit pull
Underwriter review
Letter issued
Ready to offer
What lenders ask for
Gather these before you start and the whole process moves twice as fast. Most buyers have everything in a single email folder by the time we talk.
Last 2 paystubs
From your current employer.
2 years of W2s
Or 1099s + Schedule C if self-employed.
2 months of bank statements
Every page, even blanks.
2 years of tax returns
Federal, all pages.
Government ID
Driver's license or passport.
Employment letter
Only if asked. Recent hires + 1099s usually.
Gift letter
If parents or family help with down payment.
Other
Divorce decree, child support, VA Certificate of Eligibility if applicable.
Five loan types, plain English.
The lender will recommend one based on your situation, but it helps to walk in knowing what they're picking between.
| Loan type | Down payment | Credit minimum | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | As low as 3% | 620+ | Stable income + decent credit. Default choice for most Shasta buyers. |
| FHA | As low as 3.5% | 580+ | First-time buyers, lower credit scores, smaller down payment. |
| VA | 0% | Lender-specific | Active service members, veterans, qualifying spouses. No PMI. |
| USDA | 0% | 640+ | Rural Shasta County addresses + income limits. Big chunk of the county qualifies. |
| Jumbo | 10–20% | 700+ | Loan amounts above the conforming limit (most of Shasta tops out around $806K conforming for 2026). |
Four ways to torpedo your pre-approval.
Between letter and closing, the lender re-pulls your credit + employment. Anything that changes your debt-to-income or stability can blow up the deal at the worst possible moment.
Don't open new credit
No new cards, no financing the new couch, no car loans. Every new tradeline drops your score and raises your debt-to-income.
Don't change jobs
Lenders verify employment days before closing. A new job — especially going self-employed — can invalidate the underwrite. Tell us first.
Don't make large unexplained deposits
Any deposit over a few thousand needs a paper trail. Family gift = gift letter. Garage sale = no problem but lenders ask.
Don't co-sign anything
Co-signing your kid's apartment or your buddy's car puts that debt on your credit report. It counts against your DTI on the mortgage.
Common questions
Will this hurt my credit?
A pre-approval pulls a hard credit report, which dips your score 3–5 points temporarily. Multiple mortgage inquiries within 14 days count as one. A guess (pre-qual) doesn't pull credit at all.
Does using your lender lock me in?
No. You can shop other lenders after — you just get a real letter in hand fast. I don't take referral fees from lenders.
What if I already have a pre-approval?
Forward it to me — I'll check it covers what you'll likely offer on. If you're shopping above the letter amount, you'll want a new one before submitting.