Remember our little announcement a few months back? The hunt for our first house is still on, and if there’s one takeaway so far, it’s that all the logistics behind home buying are no joke.
There is so much to consider. So. Much. Location, amenities, bedrooms, bathrooms, lighting, neighborhood, school systems, money. Money, money. I’m going to go ahead and repeat that whole money thing one more time, because it’s really stressing me out.
Anyone have lucky numbers to play in the lotto? May I borrow them? Mine don’t seem to be working. Humph.
Pretty much the only thing keeping me sane while looking is Realtor.com. I love that the site and app updates constantly, so you’re always looking at the latest/greatest options. I also love that the depth of information for each house is really robust. I talked about some of my favorite features before, but one thing that I didn’t realize would be so helpful is their “Estimate payment” feature found on every listing. You can plug in your down payment, mortgage loan type, and it’ll calculate your estimated monthly payment with all things considered. It’s magic. Genius. So helpful.
Money.
I don’t know how people did this whole home buying thing without it. I’m referring to realtor.com but I suppose that can apply to the whole money thing, too.
Back to our search.
While we’re very much still exploring options and figuring out what we can afford and where exactly we want to be, we’ve been honing in a bit more on what we’re looking for. Doug and I sometimes get into a game of tomato, tom-ah-to with things like this, but to our surprise, we largely agree about what our ideal first home will look like.
We want grit. A house that’s been passed over. Potential. A fixer upper.
Surprised? Check out why we want to go this route, and other thoughts on our ideal first home purchase, in the video below!
Side note: This was our first venture into video blogging, so go easy on the judgement. I’ve got to say, though making it was a bit intimidating at first, it was fun to do! Plus, Gracie provided us with plenty of hysterical outtakes (I’ve provided a few for you – watch it to the end!) What do you think? Should we do more of these?
Lulz. Ignore the price point on the house featured above. This was more for the photo. 😉
I’m curious – what does your ideal first home purchase look like? Would you venture down the “Fixer Upper” path like us?
While we’re still in the “just looking” phase, I’m confident that we’ll find the right one eventually with the help of Realtor.com. (Plus, you can contact agents directly through the app, so if all else fails we’ve got a fall back plan!) If you’re in the market, or just interested in starting to look like us, I highly recommend trying out the site or their app. (Download here for iOS or Android)
This post was done in partnership with realtor.com®, however all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help to make Isn’t That Charming possible.
12 comments
Great post, amazing video as well, I love it, love your blog as well. Thank you for sharing, all of you look stunning!!!
xxx
http://www.noragouma.com
Our first house was a fixer upper and it was so much fun!
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
I remember looking for our first house and being filled with a mixture of excitement and stress. First, it was all exciting. Then, after months of searching, we began to feel stress creep in along with thoughts of, “Are we going to need to move in with our parents after our wedding?” Yikes!
We bought our home back in 2012, and I don’t even know if there was an app then- we certainly didn’t use it. I did scour the internet at all hours of the day until we found our house. It was a mix of needs some work and move in ready. We’ve done a lot of work on our house so far, but no major knocking down walls. I think fixer uppers sound more fun than my husband does, so it was nice that our home needed a little bit of work to make it our own and add some value over time. Good luck with your search!!
It’s good to know that we’re not the only ones who are stressed with it all! Sounds like you guys bought a perfect house for you. 🙂
I love this! Too bad charles is so picky we will never get a fixer upper – but my parents bought an old inn in Maine that they have fixed up! It’s amazing because it’s more affordable to get a fixer upper and you can transform it into just what you want! Good luck with the search!!
I still need to visit your parents house in Maine with you. Next summer?? 😉
This video is amazing, but I think I like the Gracie outtakes most of all – I was actually laughing out loud 🙂
MISS YOU!!!!
Miss you too, Boo!! We must get together soon!
Buying your first home can be so stressful! We had to do ours in a hurry, but I suggest taking your time till you find exactly what you want. Also love the video you guys made. Good luck and we should have a play date with our kids this summer! xo
~Samantha
http://goldcoastgirlblog.com
Such great advice! We’re definitely taking it. After beginning the search we’re realizing we’re not as ready as we initially though, ha! Just trying to take it one day at a time!
Good luck with your search!! I hope you’re able to find exactly what you want. It’s worth waiting for!
My husband and I are buying our first home this August(!!) in Colorado, and it can definitely be a stressful process. It’s even harder to buy long distance. We’re actually going in the complete opposite direction with new construction. For us the most important items were timing, location and best resale options in a few years. My husband’s in the military and we’re house hunting in a really hot market, so this made the most sense for us.
Long-term though, we both really want a fixer upper as our forever home! Something out a little more in the country that we can make completely ours. Buying our forever home is unfortunately a couple decades away, but that gives us a lot of time to think about it!
Oh my gosh, I’m swooning just thinking of your future fixer upper in the country! But in the meantime, congratulations on buying your first home! So exciting – I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until we started looking. It’s amazing how many decisions go into this type of purchase! Best of luck with it all! xx