Yes you can apply for and receive a home loan pre-qualification letter before you find a home and in fact that may be the best thing you could do. When you apply for a loan in advance, your lender will issue a home loan pre-qualification letter subject to you finding your new home. You can use the loan pre-qualification letter to assure real estate brokers and sellers that you are a qualified buyer. The loan pre-qualification process helps assure that you are looking in the right price range to comfortably fit in your budget. Having been pre-qualified for a mortgage may also give more weight on any offer you make.