Getting pre-qualified or pre-approved for a credit card doesn't guarantee approval. Pre-qualification and pre-approval for credit cards both typically involve soft inquiries, which don't affect credit scores. But an official application involves hard inquiries, which do affect scores.
It's important to note that pre-approved and pre-qualified offers do not guarantee that you'll ultimately be approved for a new credit card. They simply mean that you have met at least some of the criteria required for approval.
It's not a guarantee, but it's a good sign. Preapproval, on the other hand, is more official. If you've truly been preapproved for a credit card, you're almost certain to get it if you apply.
A mortgage preapproval can have a hard inquiry on your credit score if you end up applying for the credit. Although a preapproval may affect your credit score, it plays an important step in the home buying process and is recommended to have. The good news is that this ding on your credit score is only temporary.
When you're pre-approved for a loan, it means the lender provisionally agrees to lend you the money, based on the preliminary information you give them. It doesn't mean you are guaranteed to get the loan. Final approval for the loan will be subject to a hard credit check and other final checks.
Getting pre-approved for a loan only means that you meet the lender's basic requirements at a specific moment in time. Circumstances can change, and it is possible to be denied for a mortgage after pre-approval.
Even though you might be earning the same money (or MORE) some banks will decline your loan after your pre-approval if you have recently switched jobs. This is because (some) banks want to see you in your role for at least 6 months, and don't like it if you have a history of lots of jobs over the short term.
This occurs when a lender is considering extending a line of credit to you. Hard inquiries show up on your credit report and can affect your credit scores. For example, if you apply for a pre-approval offer, it will trigger a hard inquiry, and you could see a dip in your credit scores.
Buyers are denied after pre-approval because they increase their debt levels beyond the lender's debt-to-income ratio parameters. The debt-to-income ratio is a percentage of your income that goes towards debt. When you take on new debt without an increase in your income, you increase your debt-to-income ratio.
Credit check during the loan process – maybe
As determined by Fannie Mae guidelines, credit reports are only good for 120 days, so if you get pre-approved then find a home a few months later, your report may expire during the process and need to be re-pulled.
It's important to understand that preapproved credit card offers do not guarantee approval. You still have to apply for the credit card you've been preapproved for, and there are numerous reasons you could be denied. For example, it's possible you met a minimum credit score requirement but your income is insufficient.
It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly payments.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
Preapproval is as close as you can get to confirming your creditworthiness without having a purchase contract in place. You will complete a mortgage application and the lender will verify the information you provide. They'll also perform a credit check.
The pre-approval typically requires a hard credit inquiry, which decreases a buyer's credit score by five points or less.
Look into your credit score
Lenders will look at your credit score (also known as your credit rating) when deciding whether to lend you money. It's based on things like how much you've borrowed in the past, your previous applications for credit and if you've missed payments on things like credit cards, bills or loans.
The short answer to your question is that a mortgage pre-approval can be cancelled if your personal or financial circumstances change. Your pre-approval is conditional and based on the information you provide the lender. If that information changes, your pre-approval is subject to cancellation.
Similarly, if you pay off a credit card debt and close the account entirely, your scores could drop. This is because your total available credit is lowered when you close a line of credit, which could result in a higher credit utilization ratio.
Why credit scores can drop after paying off a loan. Credit scores are calculated using a specific formula and indicate how likely you are to pay back a loan on time. But while paying off debt is a good thing, it may lower your credit score if it changes your credit mix, credit utilization or average account age.
Paying off debt can lower your credit score when: It changes your credit utilization ratio. It lowers average credit account age. You have fewer kinds of credit accounts.
Factors that contribute to a higher credit score include a history of on-time payments, low balances on your credit cards, a mix of different credit card and loan accounts, older credit accounts, and minimal inquiries for new credit.
You can make an offer on a house that goes beyond what your preapproval letter will cover, but you will be expected to make up the difference out of pocket. If you can't increase the size of your down payment, then you can't make an offer that goes beyond your preapproval.
If your credit report shows scores out of 1,200 then as a rule of thumb a score above 853 is excellent while above 661 is good. If your credit report shows scores out of 1,000, above 690 is excellent and above 540 is good.
If your credit score lands between 300 and 579, it is considered poor, therefore lenders may see you as a risk. Here's how the FICO credit scoring system ranks credit scores: Poor: 300-579. Fair: 580-669. Good: 670-739.