Is home ownership one of your goals for the upcoming year? If buying a home has been an ongoing goal, use the fresh start of a New Year to begin taking steps to become a homeowner. Here are some resolutions that will put you on the path to home ownership in 2023. Not quite sure if you’re ready yet? Here are some signs that you might be ready!

1. Decide what you want in a home.
   Take the next couple months to research different home aspects. Would you prefer a home with central air or heat pumps? Are local school districts important to you / a growing family? How many bedrooms / bathrooms would you like the house to have? All of these will factor into the home price and set a better or more realistic expectation for what you are looking for when you are ready to buy a home. A condo or townhouse might be an option for you if you don’t like yardwork.
   
   
2. Track your spending, set a budget, and save for a down payment.
   Did you get cash or checks from relatives this holiday season? It might be a good idea to put that money in a savings account to build up for a down payment! Another great tip to start of the year is to look over your spending habits and budget your income and save a portion of it for your down payment as well. How much is enough? We’ve got that covered in our down payment consideration article.
   
   
3. Work on maintaining or improving your credit score.
   Knowing what your credit score is and what debts you may have is a great way to start the year and plan what you need to do in the coming months. Setting goals and boosting your credit score will put you in a better position when it comes time to getting a mortgage. We have a ton of tips to boost your credit score in our free First Time Home Buyers Guide.
   
   
4. Find a lender.
   That’s where we come in! A local lender who knows the area and market will help set expectations and take a closer look at your overall finance situation. They can price out different scenarios and keep you up to date and on-track with your credit, DTI and other mortgage related items. They can also pre-qualify you so that you can start looking for homes in the area that are in your price range and budget. 
   
   
5. Get pre-qualified.
   A pre-qualification is a formal way to find out if you’re eligible for a mortgage. It demonstrates to potential buyers that you are serious about buying a house. Your chances of securing the deal will increase as a result. A broker or lender will collect some basic financial information from you to start this free process. Sometimes people confuse the terms pre-qualification with pre-approval, so we’ve created a helpful article explaining the differences between the two.

At Acadia Lending Group, we are focused on customer service, client relationships, and making sure that we find you the perfect solution for your unique situation. Our expert loan officers and team of processors are patient and will walk you through the process step-by-step, answering all your question and keeping you informed during the entire process. Past clients have described their experiences as “simple and easy”, “super responsive”, “flexible, efficient and helpful”, “fantastic”, “professional and prompt” and described our loan officers as having “exceptional communication”, being well-prepared, responsive, organized, knowledgeable, friendly and fun! You can check out our four hundred plus 5-star Google Reviews for yourself.

Whatever your resolutions may be for this new year, be sure to reach out to Acadia Lending Group if you are looking to achieve your homeownership dreams in 2023.