After renting for 6 ½ years, we decided that it was time to start putting our money into something that was our own and not the landlords. So we began the process of looking for our first home. I have seen friends and family go through this process and know that it is not an easy process. So I felt that I was mostly prepared for the trials. Oh little did I know. The level of stress that is incurred, while looking for a house and still trying to get what you like in the price range that you want to stay in, is enough to cause a African elephant to fold under the pressure.

One of the hardest things to swallow is the fact that I could have got into a bigger home with the same dollar amount that I want to spend only 6 to 9 months ago. The real estate market is booming. But unfortunately hind site is 20-20 and there is nothing that I can do about it now except swallow my pride and jump in feet first with a lot of faith.

During our search of home we went through many different situations that brought the stress levels to an all time high. The direct competition of other buyers that created a bidding war on a home, getting excited with a home that we later find out is in a flood zone and will cost $2,500 a year for flood insurance, or arriving at a home walkthrough only to find out that the previous people that walked through just bought the property. All these things were the things that I was not ready for.

So we will continue to push forward and keep looking for more options. If it is meant to be then it will happen. We have now decided that we are going to downgrade our vision and look more into town-homes and twin-homes. This way we can reduce the price of things and hopefully this will fit in my budget a little more.