Do I really need a pre-approval letter before looking at homes? 

Ultimately, the answer to that question is yes. In any transaction, you’re going to need a partner on the lending side of things helping along the way and having insights there. So by having a pre-approval they’ll let you know how much money you qualify for to buy a home. And also, help you understand different loan products. There are certain products out there that only certain homes will qualify for. So that’s good to know before you start that home searching process what you may or may not be eligible for. It’s always a good idea to get a pre-approval before starting the process.