Had a similar thing happen when I was house hunting. Thought I was just getting “pre-approved” and next thing I know, my score dipped. Here’s how I handle it now: 1) Ask directly if it’s a soft or hard pull—don’t rely on website wording. 2) If they can’t give a straight answer, I move on. 3) Always check my credit a week later to see what actually happened. It’s a hassle, but better than getting dinged over and over. Credit unions do seem a bit more transparent, but I still double-check every time.
Had something like that happen to me when I was looking at investment properties a couple years back. One lender said “pre-qualification,” but buried in the fine print, it turned out to be a hard pull. My score dropped about 8 points—not the end of the world, but still annoying. Now, I basically treat every lender like they’re about to ding my credit unless they give me a clear answer in writing. It’s wild how different the process can be depending on who you’re dealing with. I’ve found smaller local banks are sometimes more upfront, but you still have to watch your back.
Yeah, I’ve had that happen too—thought I was just getting a quote, next thing I know there’s a hard inquiry. It’s honestly tough to keep track unless you’re reading every bit of fine print. Have you noticed some lenders call it “pre-approval” and others “pre-qualification,” but they treat them the same? I started screenshotting every conversation just in case something goes sideways. The inconsistency is wild.
Honestly, you’re not wrong—the way lenders toss around “pre-approval” and “pre-qualification” can get confusing fast. I’ve seen clients surprised by a hard pull when they thought it was just a soft check. Screenshotting is smart, especially since some reps say one thing and the paperwork says another. Have you ever tried asking directly if it’s a hard or soft inquiry? Sometimes even then, the answer isn’t clear... It’s frustrating, but being cautious like you are really does help avoid headaches later.
Yeah, I’ve run into that too—one lender told me “just a soft pull” and then my score dropped a few points. Super annoying. Now I basically assume it’ll be a hard inquiry unless they put it in writing... Screenshots are my new best friend. Better safe than sorry, right?
