Once you have preapproval, you shouldn’t make any significant changes to your financial picture. That means you shouldn’t: • Suddenly pay off all your debts or deposit large sums of cash • Apply for new credit cards, auto loans, or other types of credit • Co-sign a loan with someone • Change jobs, become self-employed, or quit your job • Skip or miss payments on existing credit accounts, utility bills, or loans • Purchase any big-ticket items, like furnishings for a new house If any of these things might need to happen, talk to your loan officer before you act. They can help you figure out what to do so your mortgage loan is not negatively affected.