My First Home

I am so excited to be moving into my first home in just a few days! The plan is to start moving this weekend, and I can't wait!! I wanted to share a little bit about my journey in buying my first home!

I started looking at house this summer. I felt like I was finally in a secure job with enough savings to start looking at houses. I had an amazing realtor who was helpful, encouraging, and willing to go to quite a few houses with me. I just couldn't find anything in my price range that I truly loved. To be honest, a lot of the houses were old and needed a lot of updates. Or they were in less desirable areas of town. I was beginning to be a bit discouraged, but I didn't want to buy a house just to buy one.

My dad actually approached me in August with a proposal. My uncle had offered to build a house for me. They found a lot in town that was a great price. My uncle has built several houses, and he was excited to have a new project after just recently retiring. I obviously jumped at the chance, and I am so blessed to have two amazing uncles and a dad who were willing to work so hard to make this house possible! I will definitely share pictures after I move in and all the decorations are up!

I really had a great experience, and I wanted to share some tips and tricks that I learned along the way!

1) Don't settle. I almost put an offer in on a house that I sort of liked because I was just anxious and ready to have my own house. I am so glad that I took a step back and realized that it didn't have everything I wanted. While there are times where you have to compromise, I also think you have to wait and be patient.

2) Find a realtor you really trust. I really thing this is an important part of the journey. I don't think there is anything wrong with parting ways with a realtor who just isn't working for you. Find someone who really listens to your needs and is willing to work within your budget. Don't let them push you into a bigger or more expensive house. Also find someone who is willing to show you a million houses until you find the perfect one.

3) Talk to your banker about first time homebuyer programs. I found a grant that provides a loan for $25,000 for the down payment and closing costs at 0% interest for 15 years. This program is through a local non-profit and the Board of Housing. Do your research about programs like this is your area. Talk to your local banker, and they should have lots of information for you!

4) Go to a First Time Homebuyer's Class. I went to one back in the fall, and I really enjoyed it. While it was a full day of listening, I did learn a lot of information. I learned about mortgages, insurance, and even inspections. Definitely worth the time and small investment!

5) When looking at houses, consider the entire investment. Like I said above, I almost put an offer into a house. However, I realized it didn't have a fenced yard for my dogs. It had an extensive yard that would require a lot of time and money to upkeep. The insurance on the house would have been a lot more because of some of the building elements. While the asking price was less than my budget, I realized all these factors wouldcost more in the long run.

6) Have fun! I think that people get stressed out and overwhelmed when purchasing a house. It is easy to get stressed out, but I think you have to make it fun! It's a new house after all!! Don't let all the details bog you down!

I can't wait to get into my new house, and I know it will be just perfect for me and my two pups! Here are some sneak peeks into the house :)