House hunt

For those of you who are still in college, or maybe even in high school and want a little heads up, I got a tidbit you might find useful.

Life is a lot more expensive than it seems. Seriously.

Maybe it's the Scottish in me that dreads debt, but I was a hunky-dory kinda' guy until the prospect of owing over $100K came along.

Simply put, house hunting sucks. It's like car shopping, only with 10 times the risk, possibilities and market size. And, you can't just start your new home and move it elsewhere.

First, it's not just house shopping that's involved: it's neighborhood shopping, school district shopping, and facilities shopping all rolled into one effort. Everything plays into the house hunt. How far is it from work? Do they have good schools for future children? Is it a noisy area? What's the crime like? Where is the nearest beer distributor? What are property taxes like? And, all of this is before you even know what the actual house itself is like!

Second, homes are friggin' expensive. Even crappy homes are expensive! So really, during the hunt, it quickly becomes apparent that price does not equal quality. You find this out in the keywords for homes. "Needs a little TLC" means the roof is missing. "Cozy" means the living room is the size of a closet. "Wooded backyard" means there is no backyard. You get the picture.

Third, the process itself is brutal.

The Process of buying a home

You start by looking at homes. Lots of homes. If you're with someone else (a spouse or partner), than times the number of homes by 2. Next, you get a real estate agent, who is essentially your attack dog. When you finally get to a home you want, you send your attack dog (Realtor) on to the seller's dog. They war over the price of the house, and if there's a truce, you can proceed.

Next, you get a lender. The intricacies of a home mortgage are more complex than the human heart. You have so many fees, you're bound to get screwed one way or another. In that sense, it's like picking fruit in a minefield.

Than, after you hire some guy to criticize every structural aspect of you desired home, the dogs attack once more on the price. If the guy you hired is good, he'll make your desired home seem like absolute crap. That's a good thing.

Finally, the price is settled, and your attack dog is rewarded handsomely. You end up with a home and 30 years to enjoy paying for it. Personally, I'm excited to start my 30 years of debt.

There really isn't much avoiding it, unless renting is the life for you. But, if it's not, be prepared. You too may find yourself driving around neighborhoods aimlessly on a Sunday morning with your fiancé riding shotgun.

-G