First time home buyers.

[kyuuei]

There is SO much great information on here. I wanted to add one piece extra.

DO NOT buy a home thinking it will be an investment. Homes are the worst investments money-wise. Do not buy something that you think is a little better 'if you want to sell it later' or some shit like that. You are exchanging your money for something you want. No one buys a desk thinking "Well if I sell this desk later, people will desire it's darker stain.." They buy the desk that fits their needs. That is what you need to do with homes..

Find a perfect location for you, and find everything YOU like. Don't settle for less. It is out there somewhere.

As for myself, I found that I'd be happier with a manufactured home if it meant I got to own the land I put it on, so that is what I'm doing.

If you DO get a home in a neighborhood, ask the neighbors in the area and do research on the HOA rules of that place. We had a LOT of hidden rules get thrown at us as soon as we moved in, and we ended up paying a lot for it. We got boned with that.. We argued on many of things and settled, but we still got stuck spending money immediately to change the look of the house to fit the rules. HOAs can be useful--but many of them can be shady and awful too, like ours, so just ask long-standing neighbors and do homework on them.

 

[FDG]

Why would you want to own a house before 40? (unless you inherit property, of course) There's always a big risk that you might have to relocate in order to find better work conditions, for example. I kinda think people get too attached to homes and buy way too soon, but maybe it's my own bias, who knows...

 

[King sns]

There is SO much great information on here. I wanted to add one piece extra.

DO NOT buy a home thinking it will be an investment. Homes are the worst investments money-wise. Do not buy something that you think is a little better 'if you want to sell it later' or some shit like that. You are exchanging your money for something you want. No one buys a desk thinking "Well if I sell this desk later, people will desire it's darker stain.." They buy the desk that fits their needs. That is what you need to do with homes..

Find a perfect location for you, and find everything YOU like. Don't settle for less. It is out there somewhere.

As for myself, I found that I'd be happier with a manufactured home if it meant I got to own the land I put it on, so that is what I'm doing.

If you DO get a home in a neighborhood, ask the neighbors in the area and do research on the HOA rules of that place. We had a LOT of hidden rules get thrown at us as soon as we moved in, and we ended up paying a lot for it. We got boned with that.. We argued on many of things and settled, but we still got stuck spending money immediately to change the look of the house to fit the rules. HOAs can be useful--but many of them can be shady and awful too, like ours, so just ask long-standing neighbors and do homework on them.

I guess it's not so much that I need to make a lot of money off the place in the end, but I don't want to lose a lot of money, either. I don't know anything about condos and their worth. I don't want to be moving out of my condo later thinking, "aw shit. May as well have just rented." I know in the place I live now, the landlord doesn't own the land, so somehow that means it loses value. (Excuse me for sounding like a complete idiot, but I'm literally an idiot when it comes to this topic, so I'm really glad for any input.)

And thank you, the HOA information is something I never would have thought of!

 

[King sns]

Why would you want to own a house before 40? (unless you inherit property, of course) There's always a big risk that you might have to relocate in order to find better work conditions, for example. I kinda think people get too attached to homes and buy way too soon, but maybe it's my own bias, who knows...

40 sounds really late to own to me. I actually don't see there being a high chance of leaving the area, in my situation. The futuristic plan has always remained here, I can't think of a better place to live. Jobs galore. Education galore. Things to do galore. Everything galore. The only reason I can think of that I would ever want to relocate is if I met someone, (here) and they found a job somewhere else and we had to relocate for them. My job, income, and opportunity doesn't seem to be at any risk here. Plus I'm rather ingrained in the area already. I guess I may have a quarter life crisis and want to move to California?

 

[Anew Leaf]

Haha. I don't know how to mow a lawn either. I couldn't figure out a broken furnace to save my life. I would always have to pay someone.
(Or I can just find an icky husband and let him and all his icky cooties into my life to help me.)

I sadly do know how to mow a lawn but any future husband I procure will never know this fact. Ever. He will also not ever know that I can change my own oil but that the White House contacted me and said for the sake of the nation I must cease and desist immediately.

 

[Not_Me]

My first house was easily partitioned into 2 suites. I lived in the better part and rented out the other. The net effect was that I was able to have a nice place to myself for about 50% of what a comparable place would rent for.

 

[King sns]

My first house was easily partitioned into 2 suites. I lived in the better part and rented out the other. The net effect was that I was able to have a nice place to myself for about 50% of what a comparable place would rent for.

That seems like an excellent idea to me. Did it seem like a big hassle being a landlord right away though?

 

[Anew Leaf]

Ooh, here is an "S" detail tidbit that is helpful: wear shoes that are easily removed! (but with socks....)

 

[Not_Me]

That seems like an excellent idea to me. Did it seem like a big hassle being a landlord right away though?

It can be a hassle with the wrong renters. What worked well for me was to keep the rent below the market value to keep the demand high. That allowed me to be picky about whom I rented to. My cost was only slightly higher than a comparable apartment if I did not have a renter. I also had the option of getting roommates if I ended up in a financial bind. But it never proved necessary.

 

[matsurikafarra]

It's good that you buy a home for your family. It's very important to purchase one that renting an apartment that will not make you feel you belong.