Perhaps you’ve dreamed of owning your own home someday. Maybe you’re a first-time generational homebuyer and you’re looking to bring your vision of homeownership to fruition. No matter the why what I can tell you is that it can be done no matter your background, credit score, or what is currently in your savings account. I am a firm believer that today’s circumstances do not predict future situations, but instead hard work and dedication do. If your goal is to own your own home in 2024 there should be a few things you should be doing now in order to make that happen.
Write Down The Vision
If you have not done so already write down exactly what your goals are. It is hard to get to where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re supposed to be. When you write down your goals be very specific. Write down your dream home. How many bedrooms does it have? Baths? Does it have an open-concept kitchen? What type of backyard does it have? You can even take the time to draw it out and even create a Pinterest board! The key is to be as specific as you can. Don’t forget to write down a date of when you plan to be a homeowner. Store this in a place where you can meditate and pray over it daily.
Examine Your Current Situation
It is also hard to get to where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re at. If you have not done so already take the time to look over your finances and bad habits. If you are not sure what those are I recommend journaling for at least four weeks. Take this journal with you and record what you spent your money on and how much you contributed to your savings. Also, write down your income and bills that were paid. Perhaps you are driven by emotional spending, this journal will help you to see if you’ve picked up on unnecessary spending habits. In this same journal record your credit score and analyze your credit for any outstanding debts, collections, and/or negative impacts on your credit score.
Form A Healthy Relationship With Money
Practice forming a healthy relationship with money. Know that money will always come and always go. The best way to treat money is to assign a purpose for each dollar before you spend anything. Give yourself enough wiggle room for unexpected costs and don’t forget to give yourself reasonable allowance. Keep reminding yourself that you are working on something bigger, especially in times when you want to spend money unnecessarily.
Gather The A-Team
The biggest part of your success is the team you will put together that will be supporting you through your home ownership journey. If you haven’t done so already I recommend interviewing realtors in your local area. Get a feel for how they work, their resources, and their personality. You will need someone who will check in on you, believe in your vision, and push you even when you don’t feel like it. If they are a savvy realtor they will have a list of lenders, title companies, and other resources for you. This will be your team from start to finish.
Execute Your Plan
Your A-team should have helped you to create a plan to give you a realistic idea of how soon you will be ready to purchase your own home. This plan will involve setting the right expectations for improvements needed so that a lender can approve you for a home loan. Your trusted real estate agent has gone over the requirements needed by the lender with you, analyzed your finances to let you know how much you need to save, and is fully aware of your vision and supports you. He/she is checking in with you monthly to give you a boost of encouragement so that you know you are not in this alone. When creating your plan break it down into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily if you need to. Do not underestimate the importance of an accountability partner as more people find success with one than with
This is Your Unique Journey
Sometimes when we want something so bad we tend to look over our shoulders at someone else who appears to have exactly what we want. In the age of social media, this is right at our fingertips. Trust that God has something specifically for you and keep yourself focused on your own journey to homeownership. What is meant for you will be for no one else. Continue to do the work and it will be blessed.
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