How Hard Is It To Get a Pre-Approval Right Now? Scale of 1 to 10 On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard is getting approved in today's market? We score each aspect of the process. by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 13, 2024 5 min read
Getting a Mortgage Pre-Approval Before Maternity or Paternity Leave Upcoming maternity or paternity leave can interfere with your homebuying plans. How to navigate the situation. by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 13, 2024 4 min read
Locking In a Mortgage Rate Before Finding a House With 'Lock And Shop' Programs Do you fear rising rates while shopping for a home, potentially pricing you out of the perfect property? Introducing so-called "lock and shop" programs. by Tim Lucas in Rates August 29, 2025 7 min read
Finding a New Mortgage Lender After Pre-Approval: It's Not Without Risk Homebuyers don't have to use the lender they received a pre-approval from. But, it can be risky to change. How to navigate this task. by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 10, 2024 4 min read
When Does a Pre-Approval Expire? Time Is Just One Factor Mortgage pre-approvals are typically good for 90 days, but other milestones can affect them, too. by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 10, 2024 5 min read
Using a HELOC to Pay a Divorce Settlement A HELOC can help you pay an ex-spouse's share of equity without selling the home. by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 9, 2024 7 min read
Pre-Approval Revoked After Finding a House. What Now? You're pre-approved, but something changes with your financial picture or the lender made a mistake initially. What do you do next? by Tim Lucas in Home Loans April 9, 2024 5 min read
Rates Went Up After I Got Pre-Approved. Can I Still Buy a House? You got pre-approved, but while you’re looking for homes, mortgage rates rose. Will the higher payment disqualify you? by Tim Lucas in Rates April 9, 2024 5 min read