What is home loan pre-approval?
Most home loans available in Australia offer homebuyers the option to be 'pre-approved'. Home loan pre-approval, also known as conditional approval, sees a lender approve your mortgage application in principle before you find a place you want to buy.
It can offer homebuyers greater peace of mind ahead of their final mortgage application and may position them as a more serious contender when putting in offers on properties.
Is home loan pre-approval mandatory?
No, home loan pre-approval is not compulsory. If you decide you’ve found your dream home and the right loan product for your needs, you can apply to your lender without being pre-approved first.
However, home loan pre-approval is generally free and can provide valuable confidence in your suitability for a mortgage and your borrowing power.
Benefits of being pre-approved for a home loan
If you’re home hunting, home loan pre-approval can be advantageous in many ways.
- Budgeting: Being pre-approved for a home loan can give you a good idea of your maximum borrowing power, helping you narrow open houses and inspections down to homes you can realistically afford and avoid growing attached to those beyond your reach.
- Confidence: Home loan pre-approval can help you set a strict limit of how much you can bid or offer at an auction or private treaty sale, allowing you to house hunt with confidence you’re less likely to find yourself overcommitting.
- Negotiating power: Sellers may take your bids or offers more seriously if you’re pre-approved, as you’re seemingly more likely to have a lender’s financial backing.
- Faster approval: Because your lender already has most of your financial information on file, the loan approval process could be sped up once your offer for a home has been accepted by the seller.
Not every lender offers conditional pre-approval. If pre-approval is important to you, make sure to compare banks and lenders that offer it.
What to consider when applying for home loan pre-approval
There are a few things worth bearing in mind before applying for mortgage pre-approval:
- Pre-approval is an estimate of whether you’d be eligible for, and how much you could borrow with, a home loan, provided you meet certain conditions. It is not a guarantee you’ll be fully approved for a loan after you’ve made an offer or bid on a property.
- Home loan pre-approval generally involves a credit check, and making multiple applications to multiple lenders could negatively impact your credit score.
- A pre-approval is also generally only valid for a set period of time, typically around three to six months. If your house hunt takes longer than that, you might want to apply for your pre-approval to be renewed.
How do I apply for home loan pre-approval?
The process of getting home loan pre-approval typically involves applying to your selected lender or reaching out to a mortgage broker. They will assess whether you look like you’ll be able to repay a loan.
During this process, they’ll usually request the following information:
- Personal identification
- Proof of income
- Proof of any assets and savings
- Evidence of any existing debts and expenses
Once a lender or mortgage broker deems you’re likely to be eligible for a mortgage, you’ll be granted conditional pre-approval to borrow up to a certain amount.
How long does it take to get pre-approved for a home loan?
The time it takes to get pre-approved for a mortgage can range from a few hours to a few days.
Processing times can also be impacted by:
- How fast you provide the required documents
- The complexity of your income, tax, debt, or credit history
- The number of pre-approvals the bank is processing at the time you apply
What’s the difference between home loan pre-approval and unconditional approval?
Essentially, an unconditional approval (or formal approval) means your home loan is finalised and fully approved by your lender, with no more conditions to satisfy.
Conversely, a pre-approval is a conditional loan with ‘strings attached’. While it helps you measure how much you could ‘theoretically’ borrow, there is no guarantee your final loan will be fully approved.
You will still need to be assessed on specific criteria before they give you an unconditional approval.
Could my home loan application be rejected if I have pre-approval?
Yes, an unconditional home loan application may still be rejected even if you were pre-approved initially. This may happen if your circumstances change in the time between receiving pre-approval and finding a property, like if:
- You lose your job or you switch employers
- You experience a partial or total loss of income
- Your other debts increase
- Your credit score drops
- Home loan interest rates change (particularly if rates rise)
These and other factors may hinder the final approval of your loan, as they can affect your ability to repay the mortgage.
Do take note: you can apply for home loan pre-approval through multiple lenders at once, but this will likely harm your credit score.



























































