Getting a pre-approval is the first  step for a couple of reasons...First it let's you know how much of a house  the buyer can afford and keeps you from looking at houses the buyer cannot afford...Second, if a buyer is not pre-approved and you look for a house and  find one and then the  buyer is not approved or cannot get pre-approved for the price of the house you have basically wasted your  time and given the buyer false hope..Or if its a cash deal they need to provide you with Proof of Funds....If they are  not  willing to do their due diligence then they probably aren't serious about buying a home and/or just not ready.