If you're considering purchasing a home, pre-approval is an important step and may help you increase your bargaining power with the seller, since it's like having "cash-in-hand." While the information for pre-approval and a mortgage application are the same, we will need general answers about the kind of home you are looking for today.

If your request is approved, we'll prepare an on-line pre-approval letter for you. You can share the pre-approval letter with real estate brokers or sellers to show that you're preapproved and ready to buy. And, after you have an accepted contract to purchase a home, contact us at 1-877-881-7787 and we'll put the finishing touches on your application.

Click here to begin the Pre-Approval process.

With FirstMerit Mortgage Online Pre-Approval service you will have the option to save and complete your application at a later time. When you log on to the site you will be asked to create a user name and password, please make a note of it as you will need the user name and password to return to your application. Your user name and password will also allow you to return and print additional copies of your Pre-Approval letter.

You will be transferred outside of www.firstmerit.com for the online processing of your pre-approval. If you experience any difficulty in completing the application or if you have any questions please call FirstMerit Mortgage at 1-877-881-7787, or e-mail directlending@firstmerit.com.