4 Things to Consider when Buying a Home

In our country, the ties of extended family can be so strong that it’s not considered uncommon for a couple to live with their parents during the first years of their marriage, but let’s be realistic. Living with your n-laws, especially, can pose certain challenges to your life as a married couple.

A couple’s fortitude in various aspects, from the financial to the emotional, to the very bond between husband and wife, can only be fully realized if tested without the support or intervention of other individuals.

Only when a couple has moved into their own home, whether a fully-furnished living space or a livable work in progress, can they test the limits of their patience and the strength of their relationship as partners. There is also a sense of pride in being able to set up their own home, not to mention having a greater sense of privacy as well. They get to make decisions as a couple and stand up for these decisions together.

Therefore, the importance of finding your own dwelling even even when you’re just starting a family cannot be stressed enough. As such, we would like to share with you some primary considerations when it comes to considering a potential home for the family:

•    Cost and payment scheme. Your budget as husband and wife, whether pooled dual incomes or from other sources, will largely determine the type of living space you can look into. Whether it’s a house, condominium unit or an apartment, consider what you are willing to shell out both in the short term and in the long term. Look out for promos and think long and hard before considering getting a house loan from PAG-IBIG. Think of what your priority is for the moment and don’t rush if owning a home is still beyond your reach.

•    Location and accessibility. A convenient house would be one located near your place of work and your children’s school. Keep in mind as well the security and safety of your home from burglars and susceptibility to earthquakes, fires, floods and other calamities. Check out the peace and order conditions in your neighborhood as well by asking those who already live there.

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•    Space. Is it big enough for the family you have in mind? Think about how the amount of space makes you feel and if you really need all that space to begin with. Verify as well the space by seeing it in person versus what’s sketched in the blueprint. This will also come in handy when you start buying and moving in furniture or other items.

•    Know your market. It pays to do your research on what exactly the house is worth. The asking price of these houses might not exactly be typical of their actual value.

Again, don’t rush and get all “kilig” with the idea of buying a home immediately. These things are lifetime investments and are long-term commitments. Make sure that you’re ready for all the responsibilities that come with having your own home so that when you make that big decision, it’ll all be worth the wait.


Photo from sxc.hu

Sources:
•    August 27, 2009. “Things to consider when buying a house” ABS-CBNNews.com
•    Diane Benson Harrington. “14 Things to Consider Before Buying a Home” Realtor.com
•    Mike Holman. “11 Things To Think About When Buying A House” MoneySmartBlog.com
•    “Things to Consider When Buying a House” Buzzle.com