| Here is a small checklist that would help you make | | | | would be more practical and would prove to be |
| sure that your first purchase doesn't bring you a | | | | the better investments. Don't decide on your first |
| future full of regret: | | | | look - in your over-enthusiasm, this could be |
| 1. Have you looked into the best payment | | | | deceiving. |
| modes? Have you checked out all the available | | | | 3. Even if you think a house looks sturdy to you, |
| mortgage plans, big banks, government | | | | call in a house inspector. Safety must not be |
| home-buying programs, and credit unions locally | | | | compromised for aesthetics! After all, you are |
| available to you to tap? If you have, you should | | | | buying a property of your own with an eye to |
| be confident that you would be getting a good | | | | raising your own family there... and "family" |
| deal. Signing a deal with a good lender who won't | | | | includes children! Your house should be |
| take advantage of you at any point during the | | | | child-proofed. If the one you have set your eyes |
| purchase should give you peace of mind. | | | | on fails in this respect, compute how much it |
| Also, have you looked into good owner-financed | | | | would cost you to have the necessary |
| homes up for sale lately? Those will allow you to | | | | adjustments to the house to effectively |
| save up significantly more than if you buy homes | | | | child-proof it, and include this cost into your |
| with regular loans. This is made possible by the | | | | decision-making. |
| fact that you would be dealing directly with the | | | | 4. Can you imagine yourself living comfortably in |
| owner, one who, hopefully, have a heart, and not | | | | this house and in this neighborhood for a long |
| with any other lending institutions that would | | | | while of your married life? Do you see everything |
| mostly likely have this heartless tendency to | | | | to be relatively worry-free from financial and |
| "compartmentalize" their clients. | | | | infrastructural problems? If you can, well, by all |
| 2. Have you done enough shopping? In other | | | | means, you may as well go all the way! |
| words, are you buying impulsively? The "buying | | | | The "buying first home" jitters are a natural nag, |
| first home" jitters may in fact be that better part | | | | and definitely something you should heed and not |
| of your brain telling you to keep your options | | | | ignore. You must approach this major |
| open! This house may seem like your dream | | | | commitment with caution and with both eyes |
| house, but if you bide your time a little bit more, | | | | open. Being completely at peace with your |
| there may be other better dream houses and | | | | decision to purchase is the first definite step to |
| better deals that will come your way, ones that | | | | making your first home, a true dream home! |