Steps to purchasing first home?

[quikah]

Besides actually finding a house/condo, you also need to look at the environment you will be living in.

1. Go to the area in the morning about the time you leave for work and in the evening about the time you come home. Whats your commute going to look like?
2. Go late at night. lot of noise? dogs barking? Quiet?
3. How are the neighbors?
4. How is the neighborhood? Any problem areas, good services? Go to the local parks on the weekend, how is it looking?
5. What is the local internet/utility/cell service looking like? What are the costs?

Some markets you need to compromise on the above, sometimes a lot. Like my current place is on a super busy street during commute times, but it was the only affordable place in a top school district, so I suck it up. Take every bit of advice you receive with a grain of salt.

 

[jtvang125]

For some owning a home isn't all that it's cracked up to be. There's going to be a bunch of hidden/surprise expenses because you're now responsible for just about everything. Then there are the taxes, the fees to the insurance premiums. You will be tied down much more than if you're renting too. So if the neighbor from hell moves in it's a lot more involved to get yourself out of there. Think long and hard to see if buying a home is right for you at this time.

 

[bbhaag]

Already a lot of good points brought up in the thread so I won't add any more but I am curios. What's your monthly income after taxes and what is the zip code of the area you're looking at?