5 Signs You May Be Ready for Home Ownership

5 Signs You’re Ready for Home Ownership

Buying your first home in Gainesville is a big step in your life.  The financial aspect is key and how it melds into your personal life. If you wait until you feel completely ready to make a major move, you may never do anything. Understanding the process of preparing for purchasing a home is the key to planning your home ownership.

Are you tired of renting?  Not sure what to do next to become a new home owner? We suggest that you talk to a Realtor® who will represent you as a “Buyer Agent“.  We want you to call us! A good buyer-agent will help you every step of the way.  Starting with explanation of the entire process on buying your first home.

There are signs that you’re ready to be a homeowner.

1. You feel ready but not sure what to do.

When you are ready to become a Gainesville homeowner, you feel reasonably confident about your decision to find or build a home. Don’t feel rushed to find the perfect house at the best price possible in a short amount of time. If you feel pressured, then you may not be ready to buy. Good planning and strategy is a solid foundation for your home ownership. While urgency is important to making a firm decision, you shouldn’t feel that you must rush into buying a particular house or any house at all. If you are ready to take your time, then you are ready to buy.

2. You enjoy being responsible for property upkeep and maintenance.

Owning a house is a huge responsibility, which you actually enjoy. As a homeowner rather than renter, you are glad not to rely on your landlord to handle repairs, replacements, maintenance, and yard work.  Will you want a home, or a condominium?  What do you see as your life-style?

You realize that not every moment will bring you joy. For example, you anticipate getting frustrating searching for contractors or getting through the learning curve associated with landscaping, replacing broken windows, making HVAC repairs, and more. But you are ready to take on these challenges in order to protect the value of your home and ensure its safety. And building equity in your real estate investment.  And homeownership will be your best tax deduction! You’re ready to own your home if you have the willingness along with the patience, time, and money to handle both day-to-day and periodic repair, renovation, and maintenance issues.

3. Your personal life is predictable.

When your personal life is settled and not chaotic, then you are more likely to purchase a home. You might be married or single. You may be surrounded by supportive family members or a network of friends.  You are connected to your city, suburb, or small town. No matter your status, you have established yourself personally & professionally and are now eager to build on this foundation. Having a predictable, reliable support system and the desire to be a positive part of your community are signs that you are ready to become a homeowner.

4. Your career has stabilized.

Gone are the days of searching for the right job, freelance gig, or business to sustain yourself. You still hope to make advances in your professional life but, generally, your career has stabilized. As a result, you have a steady source of income, which is key to qualifying for a mortgage and making payments on time for the next 15-30 years.

Regular jobs are often viewed as provided the greatest stability. But any steady stream of money from sources such as self-employment, a thriving business, or dividends on your investments can help you to afford house payments. No source of income is guaranteed forever. But, if you have worked steadily for several years and have established a career, then it’s likely you are ready to be a homeowner.

5. You can save for the future.

You are ready to take on homeownership when you have demonstrated the ability to save for the future. Being able to save money regularly is critical to getting a mortgage and managing other aspects of your financial life. The first step is the discipline of spending less than you earn so you can set aside money for items such as:

• Mortgage Down Payment
• Emergency Fund
• Home Repairs and Maintenance
• Children’s Education
• Retirement

Let’s talk about your plans to become a homeowner !!

Gainesville is a Great Place to Live!