1. Get a pre-approval from as many different brokers as you can, as long as they won't pull your credit - If the application asks you to describe your credit, it is likely that the broker is not going to pull your credit. If the application asks for you social security number, they might pull your credit. Wait until you decide on a broker to work with to have your credit pulled.

2. Be accurate in entering your personal information - Not being accurate on your application will slow down the approval process. State your income accurately. Sometimes people will inflate their income on their application in hopes that this will help their approval process. What this does is give the broker a false sense of your situation.  Inflating your income can slow down the pre-approval process by having to start over again when the broker discovers your true income amount.

3. Use only reputable finance companies - Is the site professionally made? Is their contact information available? They should have a contact phone number.

On the application or inquiry you are filling out, look in the web address bar and see if the page you are on starts with https:// instead of http://. The “s” means that the page is secure.

Was the company recommended from another site?  Consider these points before you apply.  You don't want to risk your personal information with a website that is not safe.

Recommended Online Mortgage Lenders:

Most of these do not pull your credit with an initial application, so you can apply to as many as you want, risk free.

For low rates for refinance, purchase & home equity loans:
 

Online Mortgage Companies: Are you in the UK?  Visit Our UK Loans Page: UK Lenders