Know your real number before you shop.
A rate hold is not a pre-approval. We review your income, credit, and down payment and quantify exactly what you qualify for — so you shop in the right price range and write offers with documented financing behind them.
- Licensed FSRA brokerage
- Rate hold up to 120 days
- No cost on A-lender files
Who should get pre-approved first.
Active shoppers
You're touring homes now. A documented pre-approval keeps you in the right price band and lets you move fast when the right place appears.
Rate-environment watchers
A pre-approval can hold a rate for up to 120 days, protecting you if rates climb while you search.
Budget planners
You're months out but want a hard number to plan around — purchase price, down payment, and monthly carrying cost.
Competitive-market buyers
In multiple-offer situations, a real pre-approval is the difference between a credible offer and one a seller discards.
A real pre-approval, fully underwritten where possible.
A pre-approval is only as good as the documentation behind it.
Many 'pre-approvals' are just rate holds — they reserve a rate but verify nothing. We collect and review your income, credit, and down payment documents up front, so the number we give you reflects what a lender will actually fund.
You walk away knowing your maximum purchase price, your required down payment, and your monthly carrying cost — and a rate held against rising markets.
What a pre-approval really verifies.
A real pre-approval is a documented number, not just a reserved rate. A lender-grade review of your income, credit, and down payment tells you the maximum price you qualify for and the monthly carrying cost behind it.
A rate hold only reserves a rate — it verifies nothing about your file. We do the verification up front, so the figure you shop against is the figure a lender will actually fund.
It also protects you: most pre-approvals hold a rate for up to 120 days, shielding your number if rates climb while you search.
Run your numbers in the calculatorYou’re shopping within the next few months
A documented pre-approval keeps you in the right price band and lets you move fast when the right home appears.
You want a hard budget number
Not a guess — the real maximum price, down payment, and monthly cost you can plan around.
You’re heading into a competitive market
In multiple-offer situations, a real pre-approval is what separates a credible offer from one a seller discards.
- You only want today’s rate with no purchase planned — a rate hold covers that; a pre-approval isn’t needed yet.
- You have no purchase timeline at all — start with the calculators and come back when you’re closer.
- You’re already in contract on a home — that’s a full purchase file, not a pre-approval.
From numbers to a held rate.
A short, document-backed process that ends with a number you can shop against.
Intake
Income, credit, and down payment details — the inputs to your qualification.
Review
We verify documents and run the GDS/TDS and stress-test math against lender programs.
Pre-approval
Your maximum price, down payment, and carrying cost — documented.
Rate hold
We secure a rate hold so your number is protected while you shop.
What you need now, and what comes later
You only need the first group to start. We request the rest as your file progresses — and we tell you exactly when.
Get the full document checklist
See exactly what we’ll ask for — grouped by when you need it, with what’s required vs. situational clearly marked. We’ll email you a branded PDF you can keep and work from.
Pre-approval needs less than a full purchase file — we collect the purchase-specific items (offer, MLS listing) once you're in contract.
How long it takes
- 01
Intake to pre-approval: 24-48 hours
With your income and down payment documents in hand, we typically return a documented number within one to two business days.
- 02
Rate hold: up to 120 days
Depending on lender and product, your held rate protects you against increases while you shop.
- 03
Pre-approval to firm offer: at your pace
Shop confidently. When you go firm, we convert the pre-approval into a live submission.
Questions buyers ask
What's the difference between a pre-approval and a rate hold?
A rate hold reserves a rate but verifies nothing about your file. A real pre-approval reviews your income, credit, and down payment so the number reflects what a lender will actually fund. We do the latter.
How long does a pre-approval last?
Most lenders hold a pre-approval rate for 90 to 120 days. If you have not purchased by then, we refresh it — usually a quick update rather than a full restart.
Does a pre-approval guarantee final approval?
It substantially de-risks it, but final approval is always conditional on the specific property (appraisal, condo status, insurance) and that your situation has not changed. A documented pre-approval removes the income and credit uncertainty up front.
Will pre-approval hurt my credit score?
We pull credit once, and a single mortgage inquiry has a minimal, short-lived effect. Multiple mortgage inquiries in a short window are typically treated as one by the scoring models.
Can I get pre-approved while self-employed?
Yes. We use T1 Generals, NOAs, and (if incorporated) business financials to document income. Self-employed pre-approvals take a bit more underwriting up front, which is exactly why doing it early pays off.
Get your number before you shop.
Start your pre-approval. About 8-10 minutes.
Get pre-approved