First-Time Home Buyer Jitters? You Can Overcome Them

Owning your first home is right up there with your first day at school, your first kiss, or your first car. Some moments are so special, that they are etched into our minds forever. As amazing as these milestones are, they also come with some slight trepidation.

If you have any jitters about buying a home for the first time, it’s perfectly normal. This is a momentous life change, but those jitters will quickly vanish once you weigh the pros and cons of home ownership.

For instance, you don’t own the cramped apartment you currently live in. It actually owns you, with its rent increases and those noisy neighbors you have no control over. Perhaps you are still living at home with your folks. Saving money has its perks, but doesn’t almost feel like you’ve traveled back in time? Avoid those high school flashbacks by investing in your own nest egg.

As a home buyer, you have the opportunity to be in control. Sure, the real estate agent will narrow down some of the best neighborhoods, but you’re the one that gets to pinpoint the exact home that best suits your needs.

Don’t be timid during this search. Make a list of all the things you want and need. You will find that everything you hated about renting or living at home suddenly becomes everything you will love about owning a home.

So, why do you still have that doubting, nagging voice creeping in the back of your head? Could it be the money Money means freedom; the freedom to do or buy whatever your heart desires— Freedom that you didn’t have when you were renting. You don’t to be a fan of clichés, but lets face it: when you rent you are throwing your money down the drain.

Aside from being financially and emotionally ready for a move, you must be prepared for stability. Nomads don’t always make the greatest home owners, so if this is about planting roots, you are making the correct decision.

However, if you’re thinking about moving to another city or state in the next few years, it might not be the right time to settle down just yet.

But say you are ready. When would be the best time to buy? Now, actually. With the current interest rates being so low, having a mortgage is often cheaper than renting. Not to mention, the added benefit of having preferential tax.

With finances taken care of, you can now focus on the new features of your home. You can’t remodel a rental, but home owners have the power to decorate homes exactly how they’ve always wanted. Make the space your own; you don’t have to worry about what’s “acceptable” and whether or not you can own a pet. Your only worries now are decisions like which room to turn into an office, or which closet you’ll use to store all the junk you’ve been wanting to sell at a garage sale, and… wait a minute! You can do that now!