Buying your first home is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming fast. Most of the stress doesn’t come from the process itself rather it comes from not knowing what actually matters at the beginning.

Getting pre-approved is often talked about like it’s the finish line. In reality, it’s just the starting point and misunderstanding it can create unnecessary stress or delays later.

There’s one belief that stops more people from buying a home than high prices or interest rates ever will.