The pre-approval process for a mortgage is optional and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be approved when you go to take the step of getting a mortgage. You may not be approved for a mortgage when you go to apply despite being pre-approved. The purpose of the pre-approval process is to offer an understanding of the debt that a mortgage puts you in and if you can handle it. It lets you know what price range you can potentially get approved for. All that being said, it can help you when you apply for a mortgage because it shows you’re serious and conscious about the huge undertaking it is to get a mortgage and pay it off.