Buying your first home

Congratulations you’re buying your first home!

Now I’m not pretending I’m a fountain of knowledge when it comes to houses and the home buying process. But I’ve been there, done that & go the t-shirt. So I’m coming from a naïve place of truth and I’m sharing MY experience (which may be completely different to yours but hey ho)

There are so many houses and options out there that it can be terrifying buying your first home. I had always had such a clear vision of what I wanted which is brilliant because I’m brutal when it comes to decision making, but it also held me back from some good opportunities because I didn’t like the wallpaper in the living room (yes really).

The photos on right move are do deceiving and you might just fall in love with the house as soon as you walk in. As ‘hippy’ as it sounds, when you know, you know. You get the tingles and you can visualise yourself sat at the dining table eating breakfast. That’s when you know it’s for you.

Now you will get told not to get excited, not to pick out furniture or plan a house warming party until the keys are physically in your hand. But you will. You will go to DFS and will order a sofa; you will drag your other half around B&Q picking out wall paper samples; you will choose what champagne you’ll be drinking on your first night in the house. And then boom, it’s gone. The day before we were due to sign for our home the owner collapsed with a bleed on the brain and they withdrew the house from the market. I was heart-broken for the family and selfishly heart-broken for us, we’d lost our home. But then we found our new build – a home which you can get excited about because it really is yours from day one!

Once you’ve found ‘the one’ it’s time to talk money. An uncomfortable subject for most people to tackle I imagine but it’s something you need to have a real discussion about. There are so many aspects of buying a house which we’d not factored in. You need money for a survey, for the estate agents, a signing fee, house insurance, removal companies, stamp duty, surprise moments like no TV aerial or a broken fridge … the list will go on and on and on. In a nutshell? Hold off on the new rug and matching cushions until all of your moving expenses have been paid. And you’ll be surprised with how generous family and friends are when you move, you’ll get Next home and B&Q vouchers left right and centre – then it’s time to shop!

It’s one of the biggest moments of your life so make sure in all of the stress and worry that you enjoy it. Something I wish I’d told myself more often.

Happy house hunting!

Jess x

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