Is getting a soft approval actually a good first step ?

I am currently saving money to help put my self in a better position and be able to qualify for a better property or just have a better down payment ( for context I am looking to house hack my first property) . After speaking with some people I got told a lot that getting a soft pre approval was a good idea. What made me hesitant was the same people that told me this offered to do it themselves selves. Which made me think if it’s actually a good step to take. Some people say a soft credit pull won’t affect my score some told me it will . Just looking for some clarity here to see if a soft pre approval should be on my to do list even though I don’t plan on buying within the next 6 months .