| Buying a first home is an experience we will | | | | going nowhere fast and we would be stuck in the |
| probably remember for a long time. A time of | | | | same situation forever. Then one day after much |
| feeling that a long held need had finally come to | | | | thought we sat down and decided what type of |
| pass. In reality it was the first step of a continuing | | | | house we would want and how we were going to |
| journey. Now this journey both good and bad, is a | | | | manage to afford it. Now the type of house |
| real learning curve. | | | | design we wanted was decided, this would |
| There were a lot of things about buying and | | | | eliminate looking at houses that didn't meet our |
| owning a house that I didn't know or wasn't told. | | | | initial criteria. |
| It's amazing how quickly you learn when you have | | | | Our next step was to look at the type of houses |
| to. | | | | that fitted the criteria that we decided on. Now |
| From the start my wife and I decided to get a | | | | one thing became apparent by looking at |
| new house built. I would have to say that from | | | | countless display houses is that for any given |
| the time we first started looking at display homes | | | | price the ultimate choice comes down to two |
| from the countless house builders, until the time | | | | elements. Ready for some important information! |
| we signed off to have our house built would have | | | | The two elements basically boil down to either |
| been a good three years. The reason why it took | | | | size or features. This finding would mainly apply to |
| so long was that I wanted to pay off our car | | | | people who are buying a spec house or a display |
| loan. Purchase the major things we needed like | | | | home. |
| white goods, basic furniture and other electrical | | | | Regarding size or features of the house, means |
| goods. This was on top of saving for an initial | | | | that if you want a house full of features you will |
| deposit for the house. | | | | be ultimately be buying a smaller house. If size is |
| Looking back out of all the financial products I | | | | all that maters, don't expect all the bells and |
| could buy, I wish that I hadn't had purchased that | | | | whistles (extras) to be included in the price. It can |
| car - it was such a lemon, a great financial loss | | | | also be a compromise where the two meet in the |
| and basically a major set back. I could have used | | | | middle. Think of it as a sliding scale with a small |
| the money that it devalued by, towards the | | | | house with a large number of options on one end |
| house. Knowing what I know now, if I was in that | | | | and a large house with very little or no options on |
| same situation again I would buy a car that I | | | | the other. I went more for size then extras |
| know would last me a good ten years. The last | | | | figuring that we can do them ourselves later. This |
| thing you need when you are buying your first | | | | really is an option if you have a lot of patience (as |
| home is a car that needs constant repair or | | | | we discovered later) and don't have I want it now |
| attention. | | | | mindset. |
| Have you heard the saying champagne taste on a | | | | The other reason why we chose a larger more |
| beer budget? Well if you hadn't, neither did we | | | | basic house to start off with is that we have the |
| until we started looking at display homes. Basically | | | | space we need. We know without a doubt that |
| the saying means you don't have enough money | | | | we will not need to extend later on. After asking |
| to buy what you like or what you are looking at. | | | | a few builders or home remodel contractors on |
| It felt like that with nearly all the houses we | | | | their thoughts, all told us it is cheaper to have the |
| looked at. I guess listening to all the people who | | | | size built in at the start then to have it done later |
| said it's impossible to get your dream home, all | | | | on. Finishing off items like tiling, flooring etc in |
| my life, I had almost started believing them. I had | | | | certain areas, I knew I could do later on or to |
| the small grass hopper mentality. | | | | organise instead. |
| That mentality that I couldn't do it had to go, it | | | | Look out for later posts on financing, getting the |
| was holding me back from even deciding on what | | | | house built and moving in. |
| houses I liked. That all changed when I saw I was | | | | |