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You are here: Home / Home Buying / 5 New Year’s Resolutions to Help You Buy a New Home

5 New Year’s Resolutions to Help You Buy a New Home

January 4, 2021 By Ralph Gates

The new year is finally here… Goodbye 2020, hello 2021!

We all know that with the new year comes all of the resolutions. Maybe it’s your resolution to eat healthier? Maybe to learn more? Or, it could be to buy your dream home? How will you achieve these resolutions? 

While we could give some great tips on exercise and eating healthy, our focus is to get you into that new home! Here are 5 New Year’s resolutions to help with that goal. 

Limit Subscription Services 

These days, the list goes on and on when we talk about the monthly subscriptions we have. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple Music… You get the picture. While they are convenient and nice to have, they can certainly add up. Even if you pay them off on your credit card each month, you can be at risk for credit utilization if your credit is pulled mid cycle. 

Consider cutting out the subscription services you use least to help save for that home. 

Check Your Credit 

Keeping an eye on your credit score is something you should be doing regularly, but especially before purchasing a home. Your credit can essentially make or break you and has a HUGE impact when it comes to the home buying process. 

Monitor your credit frequently and make sure you’re not seeing any fraudulent activity that could keep you from achieving your New Year’s resolution. If you’re unsure of the state of your current credit, look at websites like, Credit Karma, that offer free monitoring and reporting. 

Build a Strong Credit History

Speaking of credit, you have to keep an eye on your score yes, but you also need to have a history built up. If you don’t, now is the time to start. When checking over your loan application, one of the first things we and most lenders look at is your credit history. We as lenders need to make sure that you have a good track record of paying bills in full and on time. This tells us that you’re less of a risk and are a responsible borrower. 

And, if you don’t have credit, know that the lack of can make the process significantly difficult. Although, it’s not impossible. 

Avoid Jumping from Job to Job 

Another thing we look at is your job history and income. These two things are integral to the mortgage approval process. We need to see that you have a steady job history with little gaps in employment. This helps lenders feel more secure about your future income. 

If you do happen to get a new job while searching for a home, be sure to let your lender know as soon as possible. This doesn’t mean you’ll be disqualified, it may just mean you’ll have to show extra documentation. Additionally, if you were at a job that was based off commission and switch to one that’s salaried, know that it may help your application. 

Hold Off On Larger Purchases 

You know that brand new car you really really want? It might not be a bad idea to wait on that. Taking on a large amount of debt when home shopping is something we recommend avoiding. This is due to your debt-to-income ratio. It can heavily affect how much money a lender is willing to let you borrow. Keeping your debts low can help make the home buying process much smoother. 

Happy New Year from Mid America Mortgage!

Know that your friends at Mid America Mortgage are rooting for you and your resolutions! We’re standing by to provide any guidance and the best service if you’re in the market to purchase a home in 2021. Also, be sure to take advantage of our online tools like our mortgage loan calculator. It can provide you with an estimated payment based on your down payment, interest rate and payment period. 

Here’s to buying your perfect home in 2021!

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Filed Under: Home Buying

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Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc, NMLS #1142067
200 E Walnut St.
Columbia, MO 65203

Phone: (573) 875-1100

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"I knew Jeanie Byland for a long time. She made the process so easy. One of the things I probably appreciated the most was that she didn't want to spoil the excitement of closing on a new house by showing up on closing day finding out that we owe a lot more than we thought. They were upfront with that information right from the get-go, and that’s because it’s just like they say, ‘They wouldn’t put you in a loan that they would be comfortable taking themselves.’”

Jamie

"I have had mortgages since 2004 in Columbia and have gone through a couple of banks, but over the last several years, the last couple of houses have been with Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc. Michelle has told us many times, 'I am not going to put you in a situation I am not comfortable with you being in, regardless of what it means for our company'.

Heidi always has a smile on her face and when you walk through the door, they recognize you and say “Hi”. I definitely recommend anyone who is in the home buying, purchasing, refinancing, upgrading business to go to Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc, ask for Michelle because they are going to be the best person you can work with."

John

Michelle, I want to thank you for all of your efforts on the loan. I never knew how much information the needed! I appreciate your personal nature and ease of working together. Thank you for making this happen! :)

Amy

"One of the main things that I loved about Michelle was she was so organized. She would meet us at any location she needed to, and to be honest she had the absolute lowest interest rate. They were always very transparent with fees so there were no surprises. Michelle was always super easy and we would always run in talk to her even it was for a few minutes. The best thing was the process was very, very smooth."

Chris and Jamie

"When we were 18 and 19 years old no one wanted to help us get started. But Michelle took us under her wing 6 years ago next month. There is a lot of people out there that could of taken advantage of us many of times because we had no idea what was going on. For Michelle to stand beside us and walk us through, and not let us get into something that could get us in a lot of trouble means the world. We thank Michelle and we are extremely blessed to be able to work with her and her team. I have never even thought about talking to another lender and will always be loyal to Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc."

Cody and Morgan

Selling our home of 17 years and building a new home was a very emotional time for our family. We were ready for the next adventure in our lives but knew there were numerous steps involved. The search for a mortgage officer was simple, Michelle was our choice. Her guidance and knowledge made the process as easy as possible. When we had questions, she was always there to give us an answer and discuss our options. The employees of Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc like Michelle will keep us returning for our mortgage needs.

Chad and Julee

"They really explained the process to us very well and made us feel very comfortable, specifically Jeanie Byland. I have never asked a question that I felt dumb about. They really wanted to educate us and have been fantastic. The interest rates changed one day and they called me to say, ‘Hey we might ought to look into refinancing your loan’. I really felt like they had our best interest at heart."

Steve

"My wife and I have moved around quite a bit with my job so we have been through the process before, but we have never had anybody help us as much as Michelle West Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc did. We needed a loan for a new construction home and they were able to help us out with all of our needs and make us feel comfortable with what we were doing moving forward. They did a good job of walking us through the paperwork to make sure that we were pre-approved for a certain amount."

Jason

"My family owns Tiger Ice Company. My experience with Ralph at Mid America started with Tiger Ice because we needed to expand our facility. When we went in to talk to Ralph at Mid America, he pretty much was straight up with us and told us we needed to go back to the drawing board. We came back with new numbers and a new plan, and we built the facility and everything was fine. Our dream of that would not have been possible at all without Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc and Ralph. They don’t tell you what you want to hear, they tell you the truth and that's what we weren't getting from other banks."

Andy

"I’m a very loyal customer at Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc. I have an addiction to building houses and designing them, and they are always right there with me every step of the way helping me get the best loan product and the best rates whenever I am ready to build. They make sure you don’t get a loan that you can’t afford. The whole process was very smooth. I would recommend Mid America Mortgage Services, Inc to anyone because they are always there to teach you, help you, and make it easy for you every step of the way."

Kate


Phone: (573) 875-1100
200 E Walnut St, Columbia, MO 65203

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