Obtaining pre-approval for your home loan gives you an understanding of your borrowing power and equips you with the confidence to make an offer on your dream home before someone else does. Here is our guide to all things home loan pre-approvals.
Start the pre-approval on your desktop or mobile
Fill out the online form
You’ll receive a confirmation on screen and via email
One of our team will be in touch to check in and see if you’d like to proceed
Home loan pre-approval, also referred to as conditional approval, is when a lender provides an estimate of how much money they are willing to lend to you for a property, given that certain conditions are met.
Pre-approvals are generally fee-free. Whilst no commitment is made by a home loan provider at this stage, pre-approval provides a clear idea of borrowing power and equips you with greater confidence to bid on properties during the house hunting process.
Pre-approvals are subject to certain conditions which must be met for home buyers to receive a home loan. For example, home buyers may be required to pay off any existing financial obligations or provide documentation such as a satisfactory valuation on the property they are looking to purchase.
An unconditional approval is the end goal for all home buyers. Given that all pre-approval conditions have been satisfied, our loan specialists will send you a notice of unconditional approval which signifies that a home loan has formally been granted! At this stage, there are no further conditions for you to meet and it’s time to celebrate winning your dream home or investment property!
Conditional approval, pre-approval and approval-in-principle are different terms used to describe the same thing. In essence, they entail an enquiry from you regarding your financial position and an indication from us on how much you can potentially borrow.
At Homestar Finance, we refer to this stage as “pre-approval.”
Our market-leading mortgage options are simple to understand and easy to navigate. Plus, our friendly team of dedicated loan specialists can help find an option that’s perfect for you.
Variable principal & interest
Variable principal & interest
Variable principal & interest
5 Years - Fixed principal & interest
Variable principal & interest
Interest only
Fixed principal & interest
If you don’t quite feel ready to complete your pre-qualification online, feel free to call us on 1300 933 210, fill in the enquiry form below or – our sales assessment team will go through the details with you. Please be assured that submitting an enquiry will not affect your credit rating.
Whilst pre-approval is not compulsory, it can help to reduce stress and anxiety during your home buying journey by helping you:
• Understand your borrowing capacity
• Conduct your property search more efficiently and effectively, knowing which homes are within your budget
• Make an offer on a home with more confidence
• Prove to real estate agents that you are a serious buyer
• Potentially speed up your final loan application once your offer has been accepted
The time it takes to undergo the pre-approval process depends on your individual circumstances. Generally, the process can take anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks.
Call, chat or submit an enquiry with us and our sales assessment team will be able to give you an estimated time for your pre-approval process.
Learn more about “How long does a pre-approval take” here.
Depending on the lender, your pre-approval expires within three to six months, provided that your situation does not change during that period.
Should your financial circumstances (such as your type of employment or income) change significantly from the time that you first applied for pre-approval, the lender may re-evaluate the conditional approval with the option not to settle the final approval.
The pre-approval application process will depend on each lender. With Homestar Finance, the entire process of receiving a pre-approved home loan is completed in 3 simple steps, taking the stress out of your property buying journey.
Pre-approval application form
Apply online by filling out our pre-approval application form, where you will be asked for information such as your proof of identity, employment, income, expenses, savings and the price range and location of the property you are looking for. Our pre-approval online application form can be completely quicky. Once your application is submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to you.
How do I apply for pre-approval for a home loan?
To apply for pre-approval for a home loan, simply fill out the application form. Alternatively, feel free to call us on 1300 231 938, fill in the enquiry form below or – we will guide you through the process.
Information verification and eligibility check
Our loan specialists will verify your information, conduct a credit check with an external credit bureau and check your eligibility against our lending criteria. We will then meet with you to discuss your needs and help you select a home loan that’s right for you.
Credit checks
A credit check is not completed until an application is submitted.
Income verification
Information about your income is not verified until an application is submitted.
Eligibility
For your loan to meet our serviceability and lending criteria, terms and conditions apply.
If you are eligible for a home loan, we will issue you with a written pre-approval. Enjoy shopping for your dream home with ease!
If you don’t quite feel ready to complete your pre-qualification online, feel free to call us on 1300 231 938, fill in the enquiry form below or – our sales assessment team will go through the details with you. Please be assured that submitting an enquiry will not affect your credit rating.
Let us know, and we’ll help you submit the final loan application to receive formally home loan approval.
Should your home loan be declined, it is wise to pause from immediately applying for home-loan pre-approval from a different lender or multiple lenders as all applications will be recorded on your credit history. Rather, you may need to:
If you were offered pre-approval, our loan specialists will be able to help you identify why your application for full approval was denied and guide you towards next steps.
Your home loan pre-approval application can be done completely online via our form with no paperwork involved! Takes minutes to complete, and you can save your progress and finish at any time.
For great rates, great savings and great service, Homestar Finance has you covered. Fill in your details to connect with a dedicated lending specialist who will guide you through your refinancing options
It is important to note that if you apply for pre-approval multiple times or from multiple lenders, a credit check will be conducted each time which may have negative impacts on your credit score. As pre-approval is valid for a number of months, it is best not to apply too early.
An appropriate time to apply would be when you have started house hunting and have a general idea of the price range and location of your new property. It would also be good to review your finances and create a budget by compiling your income, expenses, assets and financial obligations. From there, you can figure out an estimate of how much you may be able to borrow using our Borrowing Power Calculator. You can also figure out your capacity to repay a home loan using our Weekly & Fortnightly Home Loan Repayment and Monthly Home Loan Repayment Calculator.
Provided that the seller and their sale conditions allow buying privately, you are free to place an offer. If you do, we recommend that you ensure purchase conditions are set such that your offer is made ‘subject to finance’. This protects you from any risks by allowing you to withdraw your offer should your lender decline your home loan application. Other conditions can also be set, such as a ‘subject to building and pest inspections‘ condition.
Yes. With your home loan pre-approval in hand, you will have greater confidence in placing a bid at auction. Should your bid be successful, we’ll then guide you through the application process for full approval.
Please note that when buying at auction, generally, purchase conditions such as ‘subject to finance’ conditions are not allowed. As such, we advise you to be cautious in bidding a higher price than market value for the property as this may affect whether you receive final approval on a home loan.
Home loan pre-approval is not required for property purchases. However, there are many advantages to obtaining a home loan pre-approval. Pre-approvals are helpful in providing you with a better chance of securing a property as you will gain an understanding of your budget. This will give you a clearer direction when searching for your new property, taking the stress out of your home buying journey. Being pre-approved may also speed up your final approval application.
Pre-approval provides only a rough estimate of the home loan amount that you are able to borrow from a lender. However, it is not a guarantee of a formal or unconditional home loan approval.
In the unlikely case that your home loan application is declined after pre-approval, this may be due to:
After you are granted approval, you’ve found a home you like and the seller has accepted your offer, the following will be checked and/or implemented before you proceed to final approval:
1 Rates shown apply to new eligible owner occupieda or investment home loansb only, loan limits may apply depending on your product (refer to the product page) and at least one applicant is on PAYG employment. For fixed rate loans, after the fixed rate term, a variable rate will apply. Rates are subject to change without notice. Existing borrowers may have different interest rates which are dependent on the rate offered to the borrower at the date when a home loan settled and any reductions or increases the lender decided to make on the existing loan over time. Accordingly, there is not one standard variable rate that applies to all Homestar home loans and existing customers can confirm their current rate(s) by logging in to internet banking or by contacting customer service. Terms, conditions, and eligibility criteria apply.
2 Comparison rates are based on a basic Homestar loan, on a $150,000 loan amount over 25 years. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.
DISCLAIMER: Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply to all our loan products and features. Fees, charges and disbursements are payable. Final approval is subject to credit assessment. Information valid as at 21st April 2024 which is subject to change without notice. Please consider if the product is appropriate for your individual circumstances. If you need assistance or have any questions about a product or feature and its suitability, please contact our Loan Specialists.
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