Commentary... Why get pre-approved?

Spring is officially here; however with the cold mornings one might think its months away. With the new season comes "Spring Fever." If you are planning on purchasing a home in this year and want to be competitive with your offer, now is the best time to consider getting pre-approved.

The prospect of buying a home is exciting, and it's certainly fun to look at home listings on the Internet.

But without knowing what you can afford, you are essentially walking into a blind home search, usually leading to wasted time.

This is the main reason obtaining a pre-approval is so important.

The process offers a you a guideline for what you can afford as well as a competitive edge when making an offer.

Few experiences are more frustrating than falling in love with a home that's for sale and then discovering you can't afford it.

When you have an idea of how much you can afford before buying a home, the search for a new place becomes a lot more exciting.

You'll know that every house you visit can potentially be yours.

Your Realtor greatly appreciates a pre-approved buyer. A Realtor will help you find the perfect house in your price range, thereby saving you time. The pre-approval process allows for your Realtor to narrow and focus the search to find your perfect home. It also helps to speed up any negotiation process that may ensue with your offer. In a time where several offers may come in on your dream home, your pre-approval identifies you as a credible buyer. Astute sellers will only accept offers from buyers who have a pre-approval in hand verified buy a local lender.

The best things in life are free, and that certainly extends to pre-approval letters. Pre-approvals are 100 percent free; there is no cost to go through the process. As the seasons pass the housing market will turn as hot as a scorching summer day, so why not go for it? The benefits outweigh the risks - because there really are no risks. At the end of the day a pre-approval takes all the guesswork out of your home-buying experience, allowing you greater purchasing power in finding the right home for you and your family.