Pre-approval for first time home buyer

[Traver Freeman]

First time home buyer here. Looking at a short sale, the buyer's agent I connected with is working on getting us a time to view the property. She also mentioned we should get pre-approved for the loan and recommended 3 individuals to me. Should I consider these individuals or do my own research by calling around to banks? If I should call around, besides interest rates, what are some things I should be looking for to find the best lender? Any help is appreciative.