Enduring years of working hard, being smart with your money, and saving every spare cent is a necessary experience for the vast majority of first home buyers. Scrapping together the required amount for a deposit requires sacrifice and dedication.
You’ve been diligent and disciplined and reached your deposit goal. Congratulations! But now the endless weekends of house inspections and auctions begin in order to find that rare combination of home that fits all the requirements of size, style, price and location.
For me, the search process was equal parts exhilaration, frustration, disappointment and excitement.
I loved the possibility that each new house inspection would bring. Driving through the neighborhood, imagining my life in those streets. Walking through houses, taking mental notes about how I could improve a place, and imagining where my things might go.
I would get so frustrated when the necessary requirements didn’t quite match up. A nice house, lovely street, two bathrooms, and just beyond my budget. Or in the right price zone, conveniently located, period style building, but way too small. ARGH!!!
Eventually, the right place found me. I quickly fell in love with the house, the street and my neighbors. I managed to drive a hard bargain, and completed the deal within my budget, even with some cash reserves for some improvements once I moved in.
After a long settlement period, finally moving day arrived. It’s always a tough job, but staying that first night in your own home is an unforgettable feeling. And after all of the hard work and stress of getting your home, you really want this night to be perfect. I made sure that I had a few special things, such as new towels and linen, crockery and glassware, to use and enjoy right away. I kept an eye out for discounts from Sears, and got everything I needed.
I wanted to crack into some DIY home improvements straight away, but took some sensible advice to wait a few months. I discovered that you really need to live in a place for awhile to understand how a particular space works. Getting to know where the best places for furniture placements are, selecting paint colours and other small renovations requires getting to know things such as how a space is used, how much traffic particular areas of the house carries, and where the light falls at different times of the day / year.
Once I had gotten my head around all of this, I was straight off to Home Depot, where I scored great deals on new appliances, tools and paint.
One year on and I am in love with my house, and couldn’t be happier. The new accessories and home improvements put my stamp on the space, and quickly made it my home.
