Pre-approval for a mortgage involves a lender reviewing your credit report to assess your financial situation. This is generally considered a soft inquiry, which does not impact your credit score. Unlike hard inquiries, which occur when you formally apply for credit and can slightly lower your score, soft inquiries are only visible to lenders  and do not affect your credit rating.
However, it's important to note that when you proceed with a full application, the lender will conduct a hard inquiry, which may impact your credit score. For more details on the impact of credit inquiries, visit Experian, XDS, or TransUnion.

You can apply for pre-approval on our website. Once you submit your documents (like payslips and proof of employment), we will verify everything and let you know if you are eligible.

A pre-approval (or pre-assessment) is an estimate of the loan amount you are likely to qualify for based on your financial profile, income, and credit score. It allows you to shop for a home with a clear budget in mind. A formal approval only happens after you have found a property and signed an "Offer to Purchase," at which point SA Home Loans performs a final credit check and a professional valuation of the specific property.

While we consider various factors, a good credit score gives you a better chance; however, each application is assessed individually.