THE EMOTIONS OF THE FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER

You Get Tired Of Renting (Or Living With Your Parents)

Enough is enough. You’re tired of your upstairs neighbors, messy roommates, or living in your old house in a room decorated for a middle schooler. You’ve decided it’s time you found a place of your own.

You Make The Decision To Join The House Hunt

At first you think it might not be practical. How could you possibly afford a house? You may have doubts, but once your pantless roommate pushes you over the edge, you’re 100% committed. You’re buying a home.

All The Research Becomes Overwhelming

First things first, you’ve got to see what the market is like. You’ll dive deep into the inner mechanisms of the real estate industry and realize you don’t have a clue. Mortgages and insurance can get pretty complicated, and you definitely need someone to point you in the right direction.

You Fear The Bank Will Decline Your Pre-Approval

Once you know your budget it’s time to go to the bank. There’s no point in even looking for a home if you can’t afford one. Waiting for approval can be the most nerve-racking part of the process. You try and forget if they deny you here you’ll have to move back in with “pantless”.

Then You Fear The Debt You’ll Have Once You’re Approved

You’ve been pre-approved, and you celebrate. You’re one step closer to owning a home. Then you realize that you’ve agreed to go into debt for the next 30 years. Don’t you still have to pay off school? You reassure yourself that this is a normal milestone.

You Realize You Still Have To Find A Home

After celebrating that the first phase of buying a home is complete, you come to the realization that you still have no idea where you are going to live. Now that you officially can buy a home, it’s time to get out there and start looking. The big question is, where do you start?

Start Looking Online

You start by browsing online. Lucky for you, the internet makes it easier to find a home tailored to your specifications. Some places will guide you through a virtual tour, where you can view every inch of the place. Others will provide a select few pictures, and you’ll have to hope there’s a kitchen when you see it in person.

Your Whole Schedule Revolves Around Open Houses And Viewings

You’ll have to kiss your social life goodbye as you will only have time for work, viewings, and sleep. Your free time will be committed to finding the perfect house and staying one step ahead of the other buyers. You become a scheduling master as you make time for back-to-back open houses in your tightly-knit itinerary.

You Fall In Love With A House You Know You Can’t Afford

You go to an open house without knowing the listing price. It’s gorgeous, spacious, and everything you could possibly want. Then you find out it’s going for triple your budget. Unfortunately, a 90-year mortgage isn’t a viable option, so you consider buying a lotto ticket, just in case.

Then Come To The Realization You Will Never Own Your Dream Home (Yet)

For years you’ve had a vision of what the perfect home will be. As you look around, you realize your dream home doesn’t exist, and if it did there is no way you could afford it. This soul-crushing revelation is actually a good thing. Now you can better focus on what meets your needs, rather than your wants. Wants are expensive anyway.

You Basically Become The Goldie Locks Of Buying A House

You go around place to place, saying to yourself, “This one’s too small”, or, “this one’s too big.” No matter where you look, you can’t seem to find a good fit. You find houses that are too expensive, or not in a nice enough neighborhood, but you keep looking for that home that is just right.

Finally, You Find The Perfect Home You Can Actually Afford

You find it, a home you actually want to live in and can afford to live in. You know you shouldn’t, but you’re attached to the house. You have to hold back your enthusiasm in front of the realtor, but you are definitely buying this home.

Then You Lose It

Rejection hurts. Just when you thought you had caught a break, all your plans fall apart. Whether someone outbids you or there’s a problem with the inspection, you’re left empty handed. You’ll have to start over. Your ideal house can no longer be your ideal home.

You Swear Vengeance On The People Who Stole Your Home

You’re upset at the idea of someone else moving into your home, sleeping under the roof that should have been over your head. Who do they think they are? You realize they’re homebuyers just like you who have had to jump through all the same hoops. It’s a competitive market and there are plenty of fish in the sea (or fishbowls).

You Return To Searching, Broken Hearted

You pick yourself up by your bootstraps and resume your search. You go back to snooping online, to going to any viewing you have time for. You feel you’ll never find a home as good as the one you lost, but you still have hope. Who knows, you might even find something better. You’re not going to let one slip-up stop you from finding the right home.

At Long Last You Find A New House, Even Better Than The Last

You finally find it, the home you were looking for. It meets your needs, satisfies your wants, and is going at a rate you can afford. It’s even better than one that got away. You’re not going to let anything stop you this time. Without hesitation, you put down an offer.

All You Can Do Now Is Wait, Fingers Crossed

Now you wait, hoping for the best, and fearing that another one is going to slip through your fingers. You try to prepare yourself for disappointment. You remind yourself that if you don’t get it it’s not the end of the world. There are still a lot of options you haven’t explored. Even so, you really want that house.

Once You’re Approved, It’s Time To Celebrate

You did it! You got the house. After all that hard work, all the countless hours put into searching, you are finally going to be a dignified homeowner. You’ll have your own house, your own rules. This calls for a celebration, one you unquestionably deserve. The hard part is over, or so you think.

Until You’re Buried Alive In Paperwork

Now’s when things get complicated. You’ll be busy filling out stacks of contracts and paperwork for loans and insurance policies. It’s going to take a lot of extra effort if you want to find deals you can afford, but you’ve been working at this for a while now. It’s going to take more than a little paperwork to stop you now.

You’ve Become An Expert After Months Of Research

By this time, you’re a pro. You’ve read up on real estate for months. You know every angle, every possible loophole. You’ll take advantage of any program you qualify for if it means cutting down the costs. You’re close to the finish line, and you’re not going to throw in the towel. You’ve definitely got this, but still you should ask for help from the real experts, just to be safe.

Suddenly, It’s Time For Your First Down Payment

Everything is said and done. You got the house and filled out the paperwork. Now it’s time for the down payment. You hope you got a good deal, and with all the research you put in, you probably did. You write the check and cringe as you see the damage it is going to do to your bank account.

But You Don’t Care Because Now You Own A Home

You stop worrying about the cost. You are now officially a homeowner. You’ve worked very hard for this, and sacrificed a lot, and it all paid off in the end. You jingle your new set of keys with an unparalleled sense of pride.

It’s Time To Put The Whole Ordeal Behind You

You’ve earned a celebration, and now you have the perfect place to celebrate. It’s time to take a triumphant sigh of relief as the whole home buying process is finally over. You jumped through every hoop, overcame every obstacle. After months of research, viewings, and paperwork, you can finally rest easy.

And Move Into Your Brand New Home

Moving day has its own set of challenges, but compared to the chaos of house hunting, this is going to be a breeze. You finally get to give your house your own personal touch. You haul all your things inside, calculating where every piece of furniture will best fit. Once you’ve unpacked, you’ll finally be home.