The documents you need to buy a home vary based on where you live, but generally you’ll need a mortgage pre-approval (or pre-qualification) letter and proof of funds.

This is a letter from a lender stating the loan amount for which you’ve been approved. Essentially, it’s proof of your financial ability to purchase the home.

These are documents required in some areas to show the seller that you have the funds to cover the cost of buying the home. Examples include bank statements, an equity line of credit, or a money market account balance.