There are hundreds of articles online that walk you through the different steps in the mortgage approval process. But far fewer explain the steps home buyers should take before applying for a mortgage loan, to increase their chance for success. In some ways, the preliminary steps are even more important than the ones you encounter after applying for a home loan. This is especially true when it comes to budgeting and saving. With that in mind, let's explore some of the things you might want to do before applying for a mortgage loan in Washington.