Let's Get Real: Part One- Saving

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​When you think of big-time purchases in your life, there are a few that may come to mind. Maybe college, a car, insurance, and… a home! With the market consistently fluctuating and so much information and to-dos with real estate, it’s not an easy topic to navigate. With this four-part series, we will be covering a wide variety of questions and topics surrounding real estate. Through my blog, I will share tips and resources with you to not only answer your questions but also support you! On my social channels we will be continuing the conversation with real estate takeovers and content posts so make sure to check it out there. 

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​This week let’s get started with a popular question: How to get started with saving for a home! Houses, apartments, and condos aren’t cheap. It’s going to take a great amount of budgeting and saving to plan for years to come. Whether you rent or buy, you must create a budget and some type of savings fund for such a big purchase and decision. 

 
1.         Create a budget with pen and paper. This is for sure the old-fashioned way but it’s the best way to keep intimate with your money. You canfind free budget sheets here, and start filling them out!

2.         Use online budget envelopes, if a paper isn’t your thing! With technology at our fingerprints, sometimes we don’t like to have binders of papers lying around. If this is you… then Qube Money is great for you. You can create online budget envelopes that will help you with saving, all without a physical paper trail!

3.         Create a list of needs, wants, and pricing. When looking for a home it’s easy to find a home with everything you need. Maybe it has that new kitchen you were wanting or that nice yard for your kids to grow up in, but the price tag looks like this: $$$$$. Remember homes are long-term investments too and over time if you keep to a budget, you can always add certain things and or redo them. Compare what’s a necessity to what’s simply a desire and factor in pricing. 
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4.         Work on your spending. You might be asking yourself, what does my spending now have to do with a home? Credit! You want to make sure that you are paying bills on time, not overspending, and not creating a pool of debt. When you apply for a mortgage or lease, landlords, banks, and credit unions will be looking at your credit score. You want to make sure you are being responsible and that is Reflective on those reports. 
 
It might seem overwhelming and hard to navigate. Hopefully, these coming weeks will help you navigate the world of real estate in all aspects. Check back next week when we tackle the next topic: Mortgages!