Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5y
@Maureen Nina find a local bank with a mortgage person you can speak to. If the bank only has a ‘branch manager’ who handles it, go to the next bank. Not that the bank isn’t good, but it means that person doesn’t specialize in mortgages.
There are benefits of going with a smaller, local bank or credit union, but sometimes you’ll have more options working with a larger bank.
When you first sit down, make it clear that you’re just learning right now. You can share the basics of about how much you make and what debt you have, but don’t provide details and don’t give your SSN until you find the right bank. You don’t need a preapproval the first time you sit down, only a consultation on the basic process, etc. Once you find a bank you want to work with, then a pre-approval is the next step.