Building Our Forever
The news likes to tell us that millennials are buying homes later than ever. And while it is probably a combination of things to include the seemingly endless weddings, showers, girl’s weekends, and trips to see family with the little vacation time that we have, it’s also how much we are spending on all of these things.
It would be naive to assume that these don’t play a factor, but where my husband and I live, the housing market is booming. Houses when appropriately priced sell within 24 hours making it hard to buy anything let alone the “dream house”. As I watch all of my friends get married and buy homes, it is clear that one thing makes the difference: money. That’s right I said it. Money. If you have money, you can buy the “dream home” completely finished. You might make a tweak here and there, add some paint, buy some furniture, but in the end you still have a gorgeous home.
But for many of us, this isn’t really realistic. Sure, money CAN buy you the perfect house, but if you are willing to put in a little bit of work, you can get the house you want for much less money. I asked a friend recently why she wouldn’t just buy a cheaper home and renovate it, and she looked at me seemingly confused and proceeded to say that they wouldn’t even know where to start. The idea of renovating in daunting, and maybe that’s true, but if your home budget is low, sometimes you just have to make it to work.
That’s how much husband and I ended up where we are today. Sure, the homes are expensive and yes, our house cost more than most of our friends. But do we live in one of the most expensive areas in the country? Also yes. So that’s what we had to work with.
We started looking for houses a few months before we were married and somehow in the midst of working full time, planning a wedding, and pursing a Master’s Degree, we also bought a house. It has been a crazy and stressful ride, but my husband and I both look at this decisions as one of the best choices we could have made, and we are so proud of the work we have done so far, and what we will continue to do.
Our house is the “perfect” home for us. And by that I mean that when we bought it, we could afford it, it was pretty, and the work that needed to be done was manageable and something we thought we could do ourselves. It hasn’t been easy, but the end result is beautiful. Yes, we still worry about the cost of our house and the money we put into it, but I wouldn't trade the past year for anything. Building our home together has taught us a lot. It has strengthened our relationship, tested our patience, and proven to us that we can do just about anything if only we watch one more YouTube How-To video.