Where You Start Is Not Where You End
One of the easiest ways to make buying a house miserable is to fall in love with a payment you cannot afford.
That is why I am a big believer in getting your finances together before we start seriously shopping.
I know looking at houses is the fun part.
Preapprovals, loan programs, paperwork and conversations about debt are not nearly as exciting.
But I would rather have those conversations first than watch you fall in love with a house that was never realistic for you.
And I especially do not want you leaving the process believing that because you cannot buy that house today, you cannot have the kind of home you want.
Where you start is not always where you end.
Know Your Number Before You Know Your House
Before we start touring, I want you to understand your payment.
Not just the price of the house.
Your payment.
What does that mortgage actually look like every month? What happens when we include taxes, insurance and other expenses? Are there assistance programs available to you? What loan options have you discussed with your lender?
Ask questions.
Then ask some more.
There are no dumb questions when you are making one of the largest financial decisions of your life.
Knowledge is power, but only if you actually use it.
Know What You Need
I also tell buyers to separate three things:
What do you need?
What do you want?
What would simply be nice to have?
There is a difference.
If a 30-minute commute is truly your maximum, buying a beautiful house 50 minutes away is not going to magically make that drive shorter six months from now.
If having a usable backyard matters to you, pay attention to the backyard.
If you absolutely need four bedrooms, stop trying to convince yourself that three will somehow become four.
The pretty kitchen can distract you from a lot of things.
Your must-haves are supposed to bring you back to reality.
And Yes, You Can Walk Away
You do not have to force a house to work.
If the inspection changes how you feel, say something.
If the payment changes and you are no longer comfortable, say something.
If something simply does not feel right, let’s talk about it.
A good real estate transaction is not about getting you to closing at any cost.
It is about making sure the house, the numbers and the decision make sense for you.
Sometimes the smartest move is making an offer.
Sometimes the smartest move is negotiating.
And sometimes the smartest move is walking away and continuing to look.
Be patient enough to make the decision that your future self can live with.
You are not just buying a house.
You are planting roots.
