STEP ONE: Understanding Your Loan + Pre-Approval

You need to understand the type of loan that you’re planning to use to finance your property: Conventional Loan, FHA, VA, RI Housing, etc. I also recommend that you understand how to use a mortgage calculator— when deciding how much to offer on a property you want to know if you have any room to go up $10k, 20k, 30k, 60k over the list price & understand the difference in the down payment & monthly mortgage amount. Base your decisions in FACTS rather than an opinion or belief. 

What documents does your lender require to pre-approve you for a loan:
Past 2 years tax returns
2-3 most recent paystubs
3-6 months bank statements for ALL accounts
Date of Birth
Social Security Number
Approval to run a credit check
Here are my top Lender contacts
How to use a Mortgage Calculator video
Loan options to understand before chatting with a lender

Additional tips to read or watch: 
What does it cost to buy a house: additional costs to keep in mind like the inspection & appraisal
Surprise Costs you need to know when buying (similar info but video)
Do’s & Don’ts When applying for a mortgage
The Loan Process Infographic
Understanding the Estimated Closing Disclosure + Closing Disclosure (blog post by one of my top lenders)