Preapproval Desk method
How we research
Desk answer
Before anything is published on Preapproval Desk, the rule or definition it describes is traced back to the agency or investor that wrote it. The CFPB's preapproval explainers and credit-inquiry guidance are the main references for preapproval topics here, and they are rechecked first.
Last reviewed against the primary sources listed below.
Where questions come from
We start with the wording real readers use, collected from free public search suggestions, and keep only questions that fit this site's subject.
Sources we rely on
Pages cite these primary sources, among others. Each guide lists the exact sources it used at the bottom of the page.
How a page is checked
- Each factual statement is matched to a primary source.
- Plain-language wording is compared back to the source so meaning is not lost.
- The review date at the top of the page is updated only after that check.
Pages written this way
- Prequalification vs preapproval vs verified approval
- What a mortgage preapproval letter says and does not promise
- How long is a mortgage preapproval good for, and how to renew it
- What can void a mortgage preapproval before closing
- Does mortgage preapproval affect your credit score?
- Updating a preapproval letter for a specific offer
- How long does mortgage preapproval take?
- Getting preapproved when you are self-employed
About the Preapproval readiness checker
The Preapproval readiness checker runs in your browser on the numbers or answers you enter. Nothing is prefilled, stored or sent.