Make sure when you get pre-approved, that you calculate what the payment would look like including taxes and insurance. Often you’re pre-approved for WAY more than what you can afford. When we bought both of our houses, we figured out what we could afford for a monthly payment and then asked what price point that would put us in. First house we were pre-approved for $220, 000. we determined that the most we could afford would be $150, 000-160, 000. HUGE difference!