Unless you plan to pay cash for a home, you'll likely need a mortgage. Pre-approval is a common first step, where you share financial information with a lender to determine your creditworthiness and receive a preliminary approval amount. Your credit score and report are crucial in this process, so reviewing them beforehand is advisable. A successful pre-approval results in a letter from the lender, but it doesn't guarantee a mortgage. You'll need to provide various documents for the actual loan, and the property's appraised value must meet the purchase price.