Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
A mortgage pre-approval helps you answer the most powerful questions of the homebuying process:
- What do I qualify for?
- How much money do I need?
- What are the best programs for my personal situation?
You need to know these questions before you start shopping for a home. Andes Mortgage reviews your full financial picture, compares loan options, and helps you move forward with a clear plan — not just a generic pre-qualification letter.
100% secured. No impact to your credit scores.
Multiple loan options
30+ years of experience
No application fees
no commitments
What do you get with a pre-approval?
Your next move
Know your purchase power
Understand your down payment options
Find any potential issues early
make stronger purchase offers. No “Maybes”
move forward with confidence
Why Getting Pre-Approved Before You Shop Matters
A mortgage pre-approval gives you clarity, confidence, and a plan before you start looking at homes.
Instead of spending countless hours on Zillow day dreaming about what house you are going to buy or afford, Andes Mortgage helps you understand your numbers, compare loan options, and identify anything that may need attention before you make an offer.
Know Your Buying Power
See how much home you may be able to afford based on your income, debts and credit.
Understand Your Options
From low down payment programs to conventional, government, jumbo, and non-QM loans, we help you compare your best option.
Spot any issues early
A pre-approval can help uncover credit, income, documentation, or down payment issues before they delay your home search.
Make stronger offers
When you are pre-approved, real estate agents and sellers can take your offer more seriously because your financing has already been reviewed.
why a pre-approval is the way to go
Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval: What’s the Difference?
Many buyers hear these terms used like they mean the same thing, but they are not always equal. A pre-qualification can be a helpful first conversation, while a pre-approval usually gives you a stronger picture of what you may qualify for when you are ready to shop or make an offer.
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Pre-qualification
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pre-approval
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Based on basic information you provide. No documents are verified
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Involves documentation and deeper review
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Helpful for planning - just to get an idea
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Necessary when you are ready to tour houses and make offers
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Only requires a soft credit check and verbal information
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May require a hard credit pull, AUS findings, documentation. Sometimes underwriting
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Gives rough estimate
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Finds out your exact qualifications
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Ready for the next step?
We'll recommend the right option for your unique situation
What exactly gets reviewed during a home loan pre-approval?
Credit report and credit history
Income and debt to income ratio
down payment and assets
loan program fit
Documents you will need for a mortgage pre-approval
Income documents
- W2s
- Pay stubs
- Tax returns if needed
- Business tax returns if applicable
Asset documents
- Bank statements
- 401(k) & IRA's if applicable
- Stock portfolio, if applicable
- Gift letter, if applicable
Identification
- Driver's License
- Residency card (for non-citizens)
- Work permit (for non-residents)
how does it work?
Your pre-approval should match the right program
Do any of these options look like the right fit for you?
First-time homebuyers
Guides and resources to help you buy your first home with confidence.
Learn more →
down payment assistance
For homebuyers who need help with down payment and closing funds.
Learn more →
Veterans & military buyers
VA loans for active duty and retired servicemen and women.
Learn more →
Rural area buyers
USDA loans with no down payment and low PMI for USDA-designated areas.
Learn more →
High priced homes
Jumbo loans for those who need bigger loan amounts for luxury homes.
Learn more →
Self-employed borrowers
Non-QM loan options for business owners who have complex income.
Learn more →
real estate investors
DSCR loans built for investors who want to increase their portfolio.
Learn more →
ITIN & Foreign Nationals
ITIN/Tax ID loans and Foreign National loans for international buyers.
Learn more →
Estimate your monthly payments & Affordability
Use our free calculators to get an idea before you start.
Mortgage calculator
Estimate your payments with property taxes, homeowners insurance and PMI.
Home affordability
Calculate how much home can afford based on your income and debts.
Common house shopping mistakes to avoid
- Looking for homes without being pre-approved
- Only getting pre-qualfied
- Does not send documents to ensure qualification
- Opening new accounts before being pre-approved
- Making large unexplained cash deposits
- Quitting or changing jobs during the pre-approval process
- Comparing rates instead of loan strategy
- Heavily rate shopping without being pre-approved or having a house under contract
- Waiting until the last minute
why more buyers are choosing andes mortgage?
We are an independent mortgage broker and we are not limited to a bank’s cookie cutter guideline.
That means we can help review multiple loan options and look for a path that makes sense for your income, credit, down payment, property type, and long-term goals while getting you the best rates available.
More Loan Options
Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, down payment assistance, self-employed loans, investor, foreign nationals and more.
Strategy Before Shopping
We help you understand the best financing available for you before you start making offers.
Tailor made service
We are a boutique mortgage broker, not a giant retail loan shop where you are just a number. You get personalized service throughout your process.
Clear communication
You should not have to chase your lender for answers. Andes Mortgage focuses on keeping buyers informed, prepared, and confident throughout the process.
Support for Different Buyer Situations
Whether you are a first-time buyer, self-employed, an investor, a veteran, an ITIN borrower, or buying a higher-priced home, we help look for the right path.
Broker advantage
Instead of being tied to one lender, Andes Mortgage can help shop and compare options across multiple lending sources.
Tailor made service
We are a boutique mortgage broker, not a giant retail loan shop where you are just a number. You get personalized service throughout your process.
Fast approvals and closings
We do same day pre-approvals for most scenarios and our average closing is under 17 days from start to finish. Take that to the bank!
Compare Refinance rates
Get an idea of what rates look like for a cash out refinance today.
We compare rates from 40+ lenders to find competitive options that fit your needs. You’ll get expert guidance, personalized solutions, and a partner who works for you.
why work with a mortgage broker?
We compare rates from 40+ lenders to find competitive options that fit your needs. You’ll get expert guidance, personalized solutions, and a partner who works for you.
Does Andes Mortgage Handle Refinancing? Absolutely Yes. 😁
While this page is focused on getting pre-approved to buy a home, Andes Mortgage also helps homeowners explore refinance options when their mortgage no longer fits their goals.
Whether you want to lower your monthly payment, access home equity, remove mortgage insurance, consolidate high-interest debt, or compare a cash-out refinance against a HELOC, our team can help you review your options and decide if refinancing makes sense.
Already Own a Home?
You may still have options. Andes Mortgage can help you review your current mortgage, your home equity, and your refinance goals.
- Lower payment refinance
- Cash-out refinance
- HELOC comparison
- Mortgage insurance review
Lower Your Monthly Payment
If rates, loan terms, or your financial goals have changed, a refinance may help reduce your monthly mortgage payment.
Access Home Equity
A cash-out refinance may allow you to tap into your home equity for renovations, debt consolidation, investments, or other financial goals.
Compare Refinance vs HELOC
Not every homeowner needs to refinance their entire mortgage. In some cases, a HELOC may make more sense than a cash-out refinance.
Remove Mortgage Insurance
If your home has gained value or your loan balance has dropped, you may be able to explore options to remove or reduce mortgage insurance.
Consolidate High-Interest Debt
For homeowners with strong equity, refinancing or using home equity may help replace high-interest debt with a potentially lower-cost financing option.
Review Your Current Mortgage
Even if you are not sure refinancing is the right move, Andes Mortgage can help you compare your current loan against available options.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to get pre-approved for a mortgage?
A mortgage pre-approval entails of you submitting a formal loan application with supporting documents. We, your mortgage lender review everything and we make a determination on whether or not you qualify and prescribe the best loan for you.
What happens if I don't qualify
In the event you don’t qualify right now, we put you on a path to be able to qualify later down the road. Some of our clients may be ready within just a few months of applying while others can take a little longer. Either way, we give you a roadmap for you to follow so that you can qualify in the future.
Does getting pre-approved hurt my credit?
Absolutely not. Although getting pre-approved does involve a credit check, it does not decrease your FICO score.
Does Andes Mortgage charge any application fees?
Never! We do not charge any application fees for applying.
How long does my pre-approval take?
We pre-approve most borrowers same day or within 48 hours. If you have a complex scenario it might take us a little longer but we try to finish everything for you within a day or two at the most.
How long does my pre-approval last?
Pre-approvals are good for 3 months unless you have a significant change in your profile, for example, a new job, new large debt such as a car loan or another scenario that can change your ability to finance a mortgage.
Why do I need so many documents to buy a house?
Because mortgage guidelines are complex! We know it’s not as easy as pie but ensuring you qualfy up front, gives you the peace of mind that your deal is not going to fall through when you are under contract.
Does Andes Mortgage issue pre-qualifications letters only?
We do not. We only issue pre-approvals because it ensures you and us that you won’t have any issues qualifying for a mortgage.
Can I get pre-approved for a house with a low down payment?
Absolutely! Andes Mortgage has access to loans with as low as 3% down as well as down payment assistance that can cover your down payment and/or closing costs.
What credit score do I need to qualify for a house
It depends. Every loan program has a minimum credit score requirement. We have loans that go down to as low as a 520 credit score.
Can I get pre-approved if I'm self-employed?
Yes! We have a large suit of self-employed loans such as bank statement loans, P&L loans, 1099 loans, and more that don’t require tax returns to qualify.
Should I get pre-approved before I look for houses?
Yes! You definitely to. Not knowing whether you qualify or not or even how much is one of the biggest mistakes homebuyers make when it comes to buying a house.
What happens if I don't end up buying a house?
Nothing! If you don’t find a home or you decide that buying right now does not make sense for you, we simply withdraw your pre-approval and we can restart everything whenever you are ready.
Ready to see how much home you qualify for?
Get a pre-approval letter and find the best programs available for you – no impact to your credit.