Mortgage preapproval before property hunting
Timing, documents, validity, offers, and financing clauses around preapproval.
Get preapproval (事前審査) before you make an offer: it tells you your realistic budget, lets you act quickly, and underpins the financing-condition clause — but it is time-limited and not a promise to lend.
Key points
- Preapproval screens stated income, debts, identity, employment, and property.
- It gives you a realistic budget and credibility when making an offer.
- Preapproval is time-limited and lender-specific — it is not a promise to lend.
- Make an offer with a financing-condition clause; it is safer to have preapproval first.
Why get preapproval first
Preapproval (事前審査/仮審査) screens your stated income, debts, identity, employment, and the property, and gives you a realistic budget before you fall in love with a home you cannot finance. It also makes your offer more credible to a seller. Gather the documents early — withholding slips, tax certificates, and employment evidence — so you can obtain preapproval quickly when you find a candidate property. It is safer to have preapproval in hand before making an offer.
Validity and the financing clause
Preapproval is time-limited and lender-specific, and it is not a promise to lend — final approval (本審査) can still fail if documents differ, the appraisal is weak, or the property is ineligible. When you make an offer and sign, the financing-condition clause (住宅ローン特約) should name the lender, amount, and application and approval deadlines, and state whether the deposit is refundable if financing fails under the clause. Preapproval and a well-drafted financing clause together are the mortgage buyer’s core protection against losing a deposit on a deal that cannot be financed.
Key points to carry away: Preapproval screens stated income, debts, identity, employment, and property; It gives you a realistic budget and credibility when making an offer; Preapproval is time-limited and lender-specific — it is not a promise to lend; Make an offer with a financing-condition clause; it is safer to have preapproval first. Use the linked guides and calculators for the full decision, and confirm anything material with the lender, a licensed broker, a judicial scrivener, or a tax accountant before you act.
Who this is for
- Buyers about to start viewing
- Anyone making an offer soon
What this is not
- A guaranteed final approval
- Preapproval is not final approval; do not waive the financing-condition clause because you were preapproved.
Frequently asked questions
What is preapproval?
Preliminary screening on stated information — not a final promise to lend.
Should I make an offer before preapproval?
It is safer to have preapproval first, so you know the price is financeable.
How long is preapproval valid?
Lender-specific and usually time-limited — confirm the validity period.