We wouldn't want to show you homes and get you excited only to find out they are out of your budget! It's important to know your buying power before you look at homes. Beyond just knowing that you can get a mortgage, and for how much, getting pre- approved will do a couple of other things for you:
You’ll need it when you want to submit an offer on a home. And in those moments, time can be of the essence. If you need to rush to get pre-approved, you may lose the home if you can’t get it in time.
Starting to talk with lenders now will give you time to choose which lender you want to work with, shop rates and products, and get the best overall loan for your situation.