Legs on the Stairs

Here's a key...

It can and will open any door to your dream home. But, here's the catch, it will only work once. Be careful with your key..... it's very special and precious.

If this were true and this key really only worked in one door how would you choose. How to know? Here's my suggestion, make a plan. We've all heard this before, a plan, a plan, a plan.

Begin with the Who What Where & How. Who's going to live in the home, What things does the home have to have, Where is the best location for the home and How much can I spend on the home.

Who's going to live there-  # bedrooms, driveway size for x number of cars, and for how long are these people staying. If it's just you and a partner possibly a one bedroom with a den condo would suit you. If you have a tribe then it's the large single family home with basement bedrooms that could suffice.

What things does the house have to have- we entertain large groups we need a separate dining room. We are green thumbs, the Lot has to have room for a garden and border gardens. I can't do stairs so a bungalow with a main floor laundry area is a must.

Where is the best location- my son is attending University and it would be more cost effective if the property was on a bus route. I'm a commuter I want to be near the highway but not too close as to hear the noise. I don't think I could live in the inner city there's just too much going on all the time.

How much should I spend- this is probably the easiest and the hardest piece of the puzzle to wrap our heads around. If there are two of you contributing to the purchase price why not buy a home that the mortgage payments per month could be carried on just one salary. What if everyone did this? The financial squeamishness; the worries; the pressures would be less. Talk to your trusted banking specialist but DON'T be talked into something that at the time seems to make sense but really is overextending you.

I'm not a Realtor, (but Madam N is) I'm not a financial planner, I'm not a mortgage broker. I'm a realist. I tell my kids; "walk through life with your debt right in front of you". Pay your credit cards off, put a little bit of cash in your wallet, $40 bucks on payday, fill your gas tank full on payday as well.  Try and stay away from your debit card, after a while it gets easier.

Then when it's time to make a big decision like buying a home or a car your mind is already trained to watch for the signs of overextending itself.

"You can only sleep in one bed and use one bathroom at a time". "More closets means more room for junk". "I only need one hook to hang my hat". "The bigger the house the more there is to clean". These were all phrases my mother used to say, and again she was right in her quirky kind of way.

Make a plan...

Madam E