The best time to be pre-approved for a mortgage is before you begin a home search. This enables you to determine the amount of money you can borrow and how much home you can afford. Your Strategic Mortgage loan officer will provide you with a mortgage approval letter to use when shopping for a home. Here are some additional benefits:

determine your maximum purchasing power

comfort of knowing before you select a house that the financial aspect is taken care of

may offer more negotiating power

real estate agents, if any are involved, take you seriously and give you maximum attention

expedites your loan closing