A soft pull can not replace a hard pull. At the end of the day, when a bank or lender closes on a loan a hard pull still must be done. Whats the point of the soft pull then you may ask?

A soft pull is used at the beginning of the sales cycles to understand the credit worthiness of a potential customer. It is used to prequalify them without asking them for a social security number or date of birth, and without putting a hard inquiry on their report. Additionally, a  soft pull  can be used as a magnet  to lure potential clients who want to understand where they are at in regards to qualifying, and getting real rates, when. they are reluctant to a apply.