Searching for a House

Nothing is better than knowing you are financially safe and sound. Moving out of state for college really helped me gain my financial freedom. Yes, I started out on the Ramen Noodle every night budget with some peanut butter jelly sandwiches thrown in but I eventually learned the basics of financial management and success. Living in an apartment with friends and then eventually my fiancé (we moved in together because our leases had both expired at the same time and wanted to sign a new contract together) helped as we split costs but there is nothing that makes you appreciate financial freedom more than being at rock bottom.

Now, after renting a few years, we are looking at buying our first house. Sure we are not quite there yet but we are closer than ever. We want to wait until our current lease expires and until we pay off student loans. But sometime within 2014, we will most likely set our roots down for a bit and build the first ever true Ewing household.

Renting gets expensive. It is not a waste of resources but if you are living in a place for awhile and plan to settle there for at least 5 years, it is time to buy. You waste so many monthly loan payments by renting. Buying does come with more responsibility - you have to have pay property taxes, repairs, and it is officially yours financially.

But the searching is fun. I am looking for a big southern home. Daniel and I want kids. Not right away but in 5 years or so, we are thinking about family. I want a porch, a swing, and some land to grow. The shopping is fun and so is are realtor who somehow manages to put together tempting packages. We have always thought that we could buy a starter house and then upgrade once family comes, but we know how much moving can cost. I have moved to different states twice and have moved from apartment to apartment and each time you move can cost you up to $2,000 as you put in moving trucks and rental deposits. That is a lot of money we have dedicated to it. And we have the loan and financial resources now to build what we want first, so why go through this hassle twice?

We are looking to get our money back out of this property eventually. Daniel and I are restless. We love to move and travel and have discussed the prospects of Germany a little later in our careers. But we are in the perfect area for return. Raleigh is supposed to double in size in the next 5 years and that makes land cheap now but the demand for it later high. Talking with financial advisors, we have a great chance of actually making money in this step, especially if we buy a home that many modern families desire (4 bedrooms, large living areas, etc.).

I am so excited and welcome your thoughts on this new adventure. So what is your advice for this first time to be homeowner?