#bc y'know in actuality you work at a hardware store

[thetrashywritingwitch]

Congratulations on buying a new home!!!!! So excited for you. What are some things you wish you knew or found out on your own during the buying process?

ok i meant to answer this earlier but y'know HOUSE LIFE BE KINDA HHHHHHHHHHH U KNOW???

i've learned a LOT throughout this process so yeah i can give some gen advice i think

do NOT attempt to put down a down payment or settle for a mortgage that you can't actually afford. Ideally, your rent/mortgage should be about 1/4th of your income and no more. I'm only able to achieve this bc i live with my partner and we split expenses

look at a LOT of houses. like, even the ones you aren't sure of. you'll be driving around a lot but if you're gonna buy a home, you better be damn sure you like it and don't settle for something that doesn't feel right.

unexpected expenses WILL come up and you'll need to account for those within your budget. if shit breaks, its on you to fix it. water heaters and HVAC systems are very expensive, so you wanna be damn sure they're working properly and have been serviced recently

on that note, ALWAYS HIRE A WELL REVIEWED HOME INSPECTOR, DO NOT SKIP THIS!!! make sure its someone who is planning on being in the home at least 2+ hours to review everything, take photo evidence of any issues, etc. walk around with the inspector and ask questions. they should inspect all wall outlets, fuse box, gutters, roof, water pressure and hot/cold water in all faucets, that the heating and a/c works, any water damage or leaks on the ceilings, etc. you're paying them to pinpoint shit that may come back to bite you in the a$$ if you've gotta fix or replace it

always check ceilings and corners for water damage or bulging bc that shit's expensive to fix and could cause mold which can be very dangerous

see what appliances come with the home. the prev owners left all their stuff (washer/dryer, fridge, oven, dishwasher, shower heads, ceiling fans and lights, fixtures, etc) but you may have to budget for buying new appliances

don't get hung up on the small stuff like scuffs on the walls or ugly door knobs. you can always paint over it and small stuff can be replaced. focus on the big picture and if you can see yourself living there with your own furniture and decorations

if you have an HOA, double check what all they're responsible for and judge whether or not the $$ fee is worth what they do. we ran into some over $300 a month and all they did was collect trash. biggest fuckin scam

drive around the area you're looking in to see where grocery stores, malls, hardware stores, general stores, restaurants are. if you find a great place but it's in a food desert and you gotta drive half an hour to get groceries, it might not be a good fit

invest in some tools if you dont have em already. hammers, stud finder, wrenches, pliers, nails, screws, allen wrenches, flashlights, etc. you'll be needing them.

on that note, FB MARKETPLACE AND LOCAL BUY NOTHING/BUY AND SELL GROUPS ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS!!! you can find sooooo much stuff that's good or next to new for a lot cheaper than brand new at the store. we got two ladders for like $50 when one ladder alone would've cost like $70.

you'll be signing documents. a lot. like, hundreds of pages of stuff. make time to actually read through it. this isn't some TOS page that you blindly accept. this is your fucking house so you better know exactly what you're agreeing to if you're paying $200,000+ for it. if you have a lawyer friend or someone knowledgeable about contracts, ask if they can review things before signing

ummmmm there's def more i can add to this but i think this is a good start!