Will getting multiple mortgage pre-approvals hurt my credit score while house hunting?

Lin, as far as the credit pulls, typically, with the new credit FICO models, all the inquiries up to a 30- or 45-day period for a mortgage tend to only count as one inquiry. Best of luck with your home search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes, and this is one of those things that sounds scarier than it actually is. Credit scoring models are built with rate shopping in mind. When multiple mortgage lenders pull your credit within a short window, the bureaus recognize what you're doing and treat those inquiries as a single hit. Depending on the scoring model, that window is typically 14 to 45 days. My advice is to do all your applications within 14 days to be safe across all models. The impact on your score is also smaller than most people expect. A hard inquiry might move your score a few points. That's it. The bigger factors are your payment history and how much of your available credit you're carrying. Those matter far more. So shop around. That's exactly what you should be doing. Comparing loan estimates is one of the smartest moves a buyer can make, and the credit system accounts for it. One thing worth knowing: get your pre-approvals done before you start seriously touring homes. Sellers in a competitive market want to see that letter, and having it ready shows you mean business.