Start with the money, not the listings
Almost everyone does this backwards. They browse for weeks, fall for a house, then find out what they can borrow. Fifteen minutes with a loan officer first tells you your real price range, and whether anything needs fixing before you start.
Pre-qualified is not pre-approved
Pre-qualification is an estimate based on what you say. Pre-approval means an underwriter has looked at your credit report and your income documents. Sellers and their agents know the difference, and in a competitive market it decides whose offer gets taken seriously.
What slows a closing down
Almost never underwriting. It is documents coming back slowly — from you, from your employer, from the title company. Three to four weeks is normal on a clean purchase file, and the single biggest thing you control is how fast you return what is asked for.
Where to go next
Find out what you qualify for.
A licensed loan officer reviews what you send and tells you where you stand, in writing. No cost, and no obligation to go further.