Which mortgage is right for you?

It depends on your goal, credit, savings, income type, the property and how long you'll stay. The Loan Finder on this page asks a few quick questions and suggests the types worth looking at first, with their pros and cons.

Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on what you tell the lender. Pre-approval means the lender has checked your credit and documents such as pay stubs and bank statements, so sellers treat it as much stronger.

Usually recent pay stubs, two years of W-2s or tax returns, two months of bank statements, ID, and details of any other income or debts. Self-employed borrowers typically need two years of business and personal tax returns, or bank statements for a bank-statement loan.