Earn more. Pay less. Be merry.

Attention: All LMCU locations will be closed December 24 (at 1 p.m.), December 25, December 31 (at 5 p.m.), and January 1.

It’s the most wonderful time of year to buy a house. (And we don’t mean the gingerbread kind.)

With the holiday season in full swing, there are many items on your to do list and it may seem counterintuitive to add a big ticket item to that list. But if you’re thinking you may want to make a move, now may be the time to add finding your dream home to your list. Check out these four reasons why December may be the time to purchase your next house.

1. You hold the cards.

Nobody wants to think about moving when there’s pie to eat and stockings to stuff. So, anyone who’s selling probably needs to do it fast. And their need for speed could work to your advantage when negotiating.

2. Supply and lower demand.

Due to the holiday season festivities and colder temperatures, many would-be-sellers hold off putting their homes on the market. Even though there aren’t as many homes for sale this time of year, there’s also historically fewer buyers according to Realtor.com research. With fewer buyers in the market this could provide more opportunities to close the deal on your dream home.

3. Temperatures are falling and rates are low.

With the historic low rates and down payments as low as 3%,* now is the perfect time to take advantage.

4. Everything else is on sale, too.

If you need a new couch, new area rug, or home decor, chances are there’s a holiday sale for that. And, wouldn’t you know it, we have a Max Rewards Visa Credit Card that pays you cash back on every purchase. However, bear in mind that new debt and lines of credit can affect the financing of your home. So, if you’re eyeing that couch, wait until after you close.

Finally, if you do decide to buy, make sure to notify Santa of your change of address. We don’t want you getting coal by mistake.

Connect with one of our friendly, expert Loan Officers today at LMCU.org/Mortgage.

†For well qualified borrowers.

Now open in Zeeland.

LMCU is growing! Our branch in Zeeland, Michigan opened on November 30. The branch is located at 8630 E Main Ave. We have multiple banking options available, including contactless banking through our drive-thru.

Rollin’ in the dough.

Earn $190 a year in cash back.*

Whether we’re talking budgets or waistlines, the last thing you want to do this holiday season is tighten your belt. Not when there’s presents to buy and cookies to eat. With our Max Rewards credit card, you can earn 3% cash back on gas,** 2% on groceries and restaurants,*** and 1% on everything else. On average, that’s $190 a year in cash back. So go ahead, live the holidays to the fullest.

Apply at LMCU.org/CreditCards, call (844) 301-8899, or stop by your local branch.

*Based on members’ average annual earnings. Your cash back earnings may vary. $5 membership required. ** Up to $500. *** Restaurants cash back on signature card only.

Combine your home and auto and you could save $650.*

From truck beds to bed beds, (LMIA) has your home and auto covered. Right now, you could save $650 a year when you bundle your home and auto insurance with LMIA. That’s like 325 gallons of gas or enough decorative throw pillows to rival your grandmother’s guest room. And the best parties we do all the work, so you have more time for perfectly arranging your new throw pillows.

Get your free quote today at LMCU.org/Insurance.

*$650 savings based on average customer savings who bundle home and auto. Your actual savings may vary.

When money’s tight, we’ve got your back.

Skip-a-Payment is exactly what it sounds like. Just pay a small $25 fee, and you can skip your loan payment** for one month. Your skipped payment will be added to the end of your loan term.

Here’s how to skip your payment:

• • Log in to you online banking account
  • Click on the “Services” tab
  • Click the “Skip-a-Payment” option
  • Select the loan you’d like to skip (keep in mind, not all loans are eligible)

For more information, visit LMCU.org/Skip-a-Payment, call us at (800) 242-9790, or stop by your local branch.

**Requirements/Deadlines: Mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards, lines of credit and auto leases cannot be skipped. All loans must be current to qualify. Lake Michigan Credit Union reserves the right to determine your eligibility for this promotion.

The 2020-2021 Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship is open for submissions.

Over the last 30 years, LMCU’s Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship program has awarded 252 graduating high school seniors a total of $421,500 in scholarships. Entrants are asked to write an essay addressing a given topic. This year’s topic is, “A Day in the Life. Describe one day in your life from the past year.” Essays are evaluated by a panel of independent judges based on passion for the topic, creativity, clarity, and originality.

The entry deadline is January 31, 2021. $2,000 will be awarded to the 20 winning essays.

All applicants must be high school seniors (includes home school students) and plan to enter a trade school, college, or university in the next academic year.

Interested high school seniors must complete an application online at LMCU.org/Hutt. Winners will be announced in May.

Santa Squad has officially started!

As of December 1, Santa Squad is spreading cheer in Michigan and Florida. Once again, we’re giving back to our communities throughout the month of December.

You can keep up with our Santa Squad on LMCU’s social media pages.

Members get up to 25% off LegalShield^®.

LegalShield provides affordable, on-call legal help — including estate planning, reviewing legal contracts, and providing legal advice —and now you can take advantage of their services for a fraction of the cost.

Learn more at LMCU.org/MemberPerks.

LMCU Financials

As of October 31, 2020

Assets -  $9,025,649,665
Loans -  $6,255,262,108
Deposits -  $7,580,068,301
Members -  484,044