The Pre-Approval Process

When someone reaches out to me, the process is simple and personal from start to finish. We start with a quick Zoom or phone call booked through my Calendly link so I can get to know you, understand your goals and timeline, and learn more about your overall situation.

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After our call, I send you the online application along with a list of the documents needed based on what we discussed. Once your documents are uploaded into the secure portal, I review everything and complete a credit check. From there, I can determine your budget while staying within the allowed debt-to-income ratios and prepare a pre-approval letter so you can begin your home search with confidence.

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This step is important because it confirms your liabilities such as credit cards, car loans, lines of credit, and student loans. Having accurate information ensures that we stay within the debt servicing ratios set by the default insurers CMHC, Sagen, and Canada Guaranty. These ratios compare your income to your expenses to make sure the numbers work for your situation.

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Once everything is reviewed, I can confidently provide a clear budget based on a fully underwritten file. It’s important not to make any major changes at this stage, such as changing jobs, becoming self-employed, or taking on new debts, since that can affect your approval.

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The final approval always comes from the lender once the application is submitted. While some lenders offer pre-approvals, those are usually just rate holds, and underwriters don’t review the documents until the file becomes live.