Agent won't show me houses without preapproval?

I'm not sure if I even want to move to the suburbs from the city. I just want to get a feel for the houses and see if i could live there. The agent I talked to said he wouldn't show me any houses without preapproval. i get he doesn't want to waste his time if i can't afford the house. but i also don't want to waste my time on preapproval if i might not even move. Do I have to have preapproval to see a house?

Ask a licensed agent a question Browse related questions

Answers (3)

Sort by:

Novice7 Answers

Alana Mey

COMPASS Bellingham · Bellingham, WA

(165 reviews)

View Profile

Hello Greg! I would recommend attending open houses that other agents will put on of homes you might be interested in. This will give you a feel for the suburb homes without having to go through the pre-approval process. Open Houses are usually open to the public, on the weekends, within a few hour window and can be found online. Alāna Mey Real Estate Broker in Bellingham, WA Compass www.AlanaMey.com

View Profile

04-28-2026 (5 hours ago)··

Novice4 Answers

Hayat Moore

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices · Anaheim, CA

(17 reviews)

View Profile

Short answer- yes! I do not know anyone who will show a home without an approval, myself included. Peoples homes are not shopping malls open for window shopping.

View Profile

04-28-2026 (6 hours ago)··

Novice3 Answers

Fran Smith

American Dream Realty · LEXINGTON, SC

(169 reviews)

View Profile

yes, agents will require that - people selling their homes hire agents to make sure that folks viewing there homes are qualified to buy and not just scoping out the home for other purposes

View Profile

04-28-2026 (6 hours ago)··