What I Learnt When Buying my First Home

My husband and I got married over six months ago (I feel old every time I say this, but wow, how time flies!), and we recently decided it was time to buy our first home.

We have been looking at houses for around two years, as it was important for both of us that we don’t rush into anything, and that we are both happy with our decision.

Our biggest issue was whether we should buy an apartment close to the city, or buy a home a bit further from the city, as that is what our budget allowed. After lots of back and forth, we decided to put a deposit towards a house, in a beautiful area close to where my husband’s parents live.

The house is still being built, and we are hoping it will be ready in around three months. I am very excited, but also very nervous. I am not a confident driver, (and there isn’t much public transport around the area), and the house is about a 35-minute drive from the center, where all of my friends live.

I have always lived directly in the center, so it definitely will take some getting used to, but I am looking forward to the next chapter in our lives.

So what have I learnt throughout this process?

It’s a very, very, very long and drawn out process.

I had no idea how much work was involved in buying a home, and how much paperwork is needed. Just as I thought that I had finished running around from government office, to lawyer, to multiple banks, another document was requested.

It was honestly exhausting. Just the process with the bank approving our mortgage took a few months, let alone all of the rest.

There will always be extra costs

As a young couple putting all of our savings into a deposit down for our first home, we honestly believed that the price negotiated with the owner would be the price that we would pay.

Little did we know, that that certainly wouldn’t be the end of it! From lawyer fees, to realtor fees, to ‘opening a request for a mortgage fee’ (didn’t even know that existed!), we were in shock at how quickly all of those ‘extra fees’ added up so quickly.

Family members will get involved

I had no doubt that our family members would be involved in the process, but I didn’t know just how much they would be involved. 🙂

From what tiles to choose downstairs, what floorboards to choose upstairs, what kettle we should buy, to ‘which room should be the future baby’s room’ (getting a little ahead of ourselves!), our families were there, giving us their opinions loud and clear.

It can get quite stressful listening to everyone’s opinions, and trying to please them (as well as please ourselves), but at the end of the day, the whole process wouldn’t have been as special as it was, had we not done it with our lovely (and very vocal) families.

I am feeling so many emotions in the lead up to moving in. It will be a big change for me, and it will definitely be challenging at times being out of my literal comfort zone, but I also feel very blessed that we have been able to do this. Bring on the next chapter!