While it may seem obvious that you need to keep paying your bills during the period between a mortgage pre-qualification and your settlement date, some would-be borrowers neglect their finances. Getting pre-qualified for a mortgage is no easy task, so the last thing you want to do is lose sight of your finances after you have been pre-qualified. Here are five mistakes not to make after you’ve been pre-qualified for a mortgage.

1. Buying a boat or car

If you get car fever after your mortgage pre-qualification, don’t act on it. A car loan will show up as a new inquiry on your credit report. The debt could possibly skew your debt ratios enough to mess up your chances of closing on your mortgage.

To qualify for a mortgage, your bank needs to be sure that you’ll pay them back. If you buy a car, your lender will need to factor in the payments to your debt-to-income ratio, which can delay your qualification.

One way to show your lender that you are reliable is by watching your spending habits.

2. Changing Jobs

If you can help it, another thing to avoid after mortgage pre-qualification is changing jobs. Even if it seems like a good move, you’ll need to verify your employment and you’ll need one or possibly two pay stubs to prove your new salary, which could delay your loan approval. Obviously this may be unavoidable, but it will create some amount of hassle and a delay.

3. Opening a New Line of Credit

Most mortgage lenders will do a second credit check before a final loan qualification. Their inquiry usually doesn’t cause a problem, but if you’ve opened a new credit account, then it must be verified which could delay your mortgage loan. Your new line of credit can affect your credit score, meaning potential changes in the rate your were pre-qualified for. Be sure to avoid opening a new line of credit after mortgage pre-qualification.

4. Getting divorced

Major lifestyle changes will also affect your mortgage application. Your underwriter will see the divorce as an upset in your life, which sets off a chain of costs involved in divorce proceedings, as well as the potential sale of your assets and division of the proceeds. This can also delay loan approval.

5. Empty your deposit accounts

You must pay all bills on time and make sure you don’t have an overdraft on any account, possibly with the help of overdraft protection. If you have payments automatically billed to a credit card, you should continue that practice. The pre-qualification process aims to take a snapshot of your finances at a specific time, and you want to make sure your finances stay as close to that snapshot as possible.

Adding to your assets isn’t a problem, but you have to provide complete documentation of any deposits other than your usual paycheck. Make sure you document everything. Be proactive and contact your lender if you receive a bonus or if you’re cashing in your CDs to consolidate your assets. A good lender can advise you on what you’ll need for a paper trail.