They say that building a home is one of the most stressful decisions you will make. Unlike the purchase of your first family car, this huge financial commitment will quite obviously be a decision made carefully, to meet all of your expectations and of course stay within budget. There are endless questions to be answered, who is a reputable builder, how much space is necessary, is there a need for a 3rd bathroom, should a basement be finished... the list goes on. The future however is bright; let's take a look at some important facts that will help with your first custom dream home purchase.
What can you afford?
It would be nice to think that the cost of renting will be the same as owning a home, unfortunately we must consider other contributing facts such as property taxes, PMI insurance, down payment, and of course the actual mortgage. Analyze your income, debts, college loans or similar. Combine not just your own, but your partner or family. Remember, a home purchase is a team decision. If you have a reasonably good credit record, but your partner may not, this ultimately will affect chances of acquiring a bank loan. In some situations it might be beneficial to have a financial advisor (unless your education just happens to be in this industry). As a first time home buyer there may be some obstacles on applying for the loan from your bank.