Pre-Approval · May 2026
In the Eastside market, your pre-approval letter is your offer. The 4-step intake below captures your goal, income type, and price range — so we can match you with the right lender and get your letter ready before you need it.
Step 1 of 4
Your timeline determines which pre-approval options make the most sense.
What you'll need
Income docs
Last 2 years W-2s or 1099s. RSU earners: include grant agreements and recent paystubs.
Tax returns
2 years personal (and business if self-employed). Bank statement programs skip this step.
Asset statements
60 days of bank, brokerage, and retirement statements for down payment and reserve verification.
ID
Government-issued ID and Social Security number for credit authorization.
Strategy reviewed by
Adriano Tori
Founder & Designated Broker · RexMont Real Estate
Speak directly with Adriano →The process
Tell us your situation
Goal, timeline, income type, and target price. Takes under 2 minutes — no login, no hard credit pull.
Receive your buying power report
We send your personalized breakdown: loan amount range, program options, and lender match within 1 business day.
Get your pre-approval letter
Once documents are submitted, fast-track buyers receive a lender-issued letter within 4 hours — ready to attach to an offer.
Rate protection
With rates holding in the mid-6s and inventory up in May 2026, lock-and-shop programs let you secure today's rate for 60 days while you tour and write offers — no rush, no rate risk.
Select programs include a float-down provision: if rates drop 0.25%+ before your closing, you capture the lower rate automatically. Ask your lender about this when you receive your buying power report.
Ask about lock-and-shop →Why pre-approval matters in this market
Sellers require it
Listing agents in Bellevue and Seattle routinely reject offers without a current pre-approval letter. Some require it before even booking a showing.
Inventory is moving fast
With May 2026 inventory up 30% year-over-year, buyers have more options — but well-priced homes in desirable Eastside neighborhoods still move in days.
Your loan amount affects your offer strategy
Knowing exactly what you can borrow — and which loan type — changes how you approach offers, contingencies, and escalation clauses.
Also useful
Am I eligible? →
Screen your income, credit, and goals against May 2026 guidelines before you apply.
Check my rate range →
Get a personalized rate estimate based on live Freddie Mac data. No hard pull.
Today's rates →
Live Seattle and Bellevue mortgage rates with week-over-week direction and a payment calculator.
FAQ
Common questions from Seattle and Bellevue buyers — answered against May 2026 market conditions.
For buyers with clean W-2 income and organized documents, we can issue a pre-approval letter within 4 business hours. Self-employed buyers and those with RSU income typically take 1–2 business days due to additional documentation. Having your last 2 years of W-2s, tax returns, 60 days of bank statements, and a copy of your ID ready speeds things up significantly.
Yes — vested RSUs that have been converted to cash and are sitting in a bank or brokerage account are treated as liquid assets for down payment purposes. The key is sourcing: the lender needs to trace the funds from your vesting event to your account. Unvested RSUs cannot be used. Your lender will document the vesting history and confirm the funds are available and seasoned.
Pre-qualification is a quick, informal estimate based on self-reported information — no documents, no credit pull. Pre-approval involves verified income, asset documentation, and a credit check, and results in a formal letter lenders and sellers treat seriously. In the Seattle and Bellevue market, listing agents and sellers routinely require a pre-approval letter — not a pre-qual — before accepting offers.
A lock-and-shop program lets you lock a mortgage rate for 30–60 days before you have a signed purchase agreement. This protects you from rate increases while you tour and write offers. Some programs include a float-down provision: if rates drop by 0.25% or more before your closing, you can capture the lower rate. In the May 2026 environment — with rates holding in the mid-6s — locking early removes one variable from an already competitive offer process.
A formal pre-approval requires a hard credit inquiry, which typically reduces your score by 5–10 points temporarily. However, multiple mortgage inquiries within a 14–45 day window (depending on the scoring model) are often treated as a single inquiry for rate-shopping purposes. The impact is minor and short-lived — credit scores generally recover within 3–6 months.
Yes. Investment property pre-approvals require 15–25% down, and rental income from the subject property can offset your DTI once documented. DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans are also available for investors who prefer not to use personal income — qualification is based on the property's projected cash flow rather than your personal tax returns. These are increasingly common for Eastside investors with complex or variable income.
The pre-approval intake is an educational consultation tool, not a formal loan application. Completing this form does not constitute a credit application or lender commitment. Pre-approval letters are issued by licensed mortgage lenders following full income, asset, and credit review. “4 business hours” refers to fast-track processing for buyers with complete documentation — timeline varies by lender and file complexity. Market context (conforming limits, rates, inventory) reflects May 2026 estimates; verify current figures with your lender.