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You can shop around and get multiple preapprovals and official Loan Estimates. This is because other creditors realize that you are only going to buy one home. Within a 45-day window, multiple credit checks from mortgage lenders are recorded on your credit report as a single inquiry. Learn more about credit scores You can shop around for a mortgage and it will not hurt your credit Applying for a credit card, car loan, or other type of loan also results in an inquiry that can lower your score, so try to avoid applying for these other types of credit right before getting a mortgage or during the mortgage process. As a general rule, apply for credit only when you need it.
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Inquiries are a necessary part of applying for a mortgage, so you can't avoid them altogether. An inquiry typically has a small, but negative, impact on your credit score. Inquiries tell other creditors that you are thinking of taking on new debt.
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