Most people buy real estate in the following manner. Go house shopping, fall in love with a home, and then find financing. That is a kin to going to the grocery store, picking out your groceries, and then checking your wallet to see if you have enough cash.

There is a much sounder approach. By showing you how much home you can afford, you can make sure you stay within your means. Now, you can shop and avoid wasting time. In other words, walk in to a new home negotiation and maybe set better terms because you are prepared to buy that day.