You can look at a house without pre-approval. Open houses are open to anyone, and no law requires a pre-approval letter before you walk through a listed home. Once you want a real estate agent to arrange a private showing, though, two things usually come into play: a written buyer agreement your agent needs you to sign, and — as a practical matter — a pre-approval letter the seller or listing agent may require before letting you inside.
Open Houses Are Open
Open houses are the simplest way to see homes before you have talked to a lender. Hosts almost never ask for a pre-approval letter at the door, because the point of the event is to attract as many visitors as possible.
You will usually find a sign-in sheet for contact information, but filling it out is voluntary, not a condition of entry. You also do not need a signed agreement with an agent to attend an open house on your own. Walk in, look around, compare neighborhoods and layouts, and leave. Nothing about your finances has to come up.
Private Showings Now Require a Written Buyer Agreement
If you want an agent to schedule a private tour for you, you need to sign a written buyer agreement first. This has been the rule since August 17, 2024, following a nationwide settlement involving the National Association of Realtors. The agreement must be signed before you tour a home with your agent, whether in person or virtually.1National Association of REALTORS®. Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements
The agreement spells out what the agent will do for you and how they will be paid. Compensation has to be stated as a specific figure — a flat fee, a percentage, an hourly rate, or even zero — not an open-ended range.2National Association of REALTORS®. Written Buyer Agreements 101 So before you step into a privately shown home with an agent, you and that agent have already agreed in writing on the financial terms of the relationship.
The requirement applies to agents who participate in a Multiple Listing Service. It does not apply when you visit an open house on your own or when you are just asking an agent about their services without touring a property.3National Association of REALTORS®. NAR Settlement FAQs
Why Sellers and Agents Ask for Pre-Approval Anyway
There is no legal duty to have a pre-approval letter before viewing a home, but sellers and their agents often ask for one. Sellers can set conditions on who enters their home, and listing agreements frequently limit private showings to buyers who have been financially vetted. That filters out visitors unlikely to make an offer and protects the seller’s privacy.
Agents have their own reasons. Arranging a private tour means coordinating with the seller, traveling to the property, and spending professional time. An agent may decline to schedule a showing if you cannot provide a current pre-approval letter. That is professional discretion and a matter of your buyer agreement, not a legal ban on entry.
Pre-approval letters typically expire after 30 to 60 days, depending on the lender.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Get a Preapproval Letter If yours has lapsed, expect to reapply with updated documents and another credit check before an agent or seller opens the door to a private tour.
Pre-Approval Is Not the Same as Pre-Qualification
When an agent or seller asks whether you are “pre-approved,” they mean something more rigorous than a pre-qualification. The words sound similar and get used loosely, but they describe two different levels of vetting.
A pre-qualification is based on information you report yourself: income, debts, assets. The lender typically does not verify documents or pull a hard credit report. It gives you a rough sense of what you might afford, but it carries little weight with sellers.
A pre-approval requires you to submit financial documents such as pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements, and it authorizes the lender to pull your credit. Because a lender has actually reviewed your finances, the letter signals to sellers that you are a serious buyer.
The hard credit inquiry from a pre-approval can lower your credit score by a few points temporarily. Credit scoring models generally treat multiple mortgage inquiries within a short window, typically 14 to 45 days, as a single inquiry, so shopping among lenders does not multiply the hit.
Model Homes and New Construction
Model homes run by builders work more like retail showrooms than private residences. They are usually open to walk-in visitors during business hours, and you do not need pre-approval or an appointment to see the layouts and design options.
The financial requirements start when you want to move from browsing to buying. Builders generally require a pre-approval letter, or proof of funds for a cash purchase, before drafting a purchase agreement. You will also put down earnest money to hold a specific lot, and builder deposits are usually a percentage of the sale price rather than a flat amount.
Cash Buyers Show Proof of Funds Instead
If you plan to buy without a mortgage, sellers will ask for a proof of funds document in place of a pre-approval letter. That is typically a current bank statement or a letter from your financial institution confirming you have enough liquid assets to cover the purchase price.
You can redact sensitive details like full account numbers before sharing the document. Sellers generally expect the statement to be recent, within the last 30 to 90 days, so it reflects your current position. A valid proof of funds gives you the same access to private showings that a pre-approval letter provides.
What a Seller Cannot Do
A seller who requires pre-approval has to apply that standard to every prospective viewer the same way. The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to refuse to sell, rent, or make a home unavailable to someone because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 3604 – Discrimination in the Sale or Rental of Housing and Other Prohibited Practices
Federal regulations also prohibit using different qualification criteria, such as stricter financial documentation requirements, based on a buyer’s membership in a protected class.6eCFR. 24 CFR Part 100 – Discriminatory Conduct Under the Fair Housing Act Telling a prospective buyer that a home is unavailable to see when it actually is available also violates the Act. Violations carry significant civil penalties, and larger penalties are available in federal court cases brought by the Attorney General.7Federal Register. Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalty Amounts for 2025 If you believe you were denied access on a prohibited basis, that is the framework that applies.