I remember when Terence and I bought our first home.  We bought it in late 2009 when the market was low and right before Connor was born.  I was so excited to finally be in a HOME.  After being in the military, living in several apartments, and even a 2 year stay with my in-laws….I was happy to have a place to call our own.

Our house was finalized in November and the first thing I wanted to do is put up a Christmas tree of course 🙂

Fast forward about 5 years and now we are in the home buying boat again.  We sold our house in 2 days this past June and have been searching for a new house ever since.   To say the whole process has been daunting is an understatement.  We have put it 7-8 offers on homes & NOTHING.  The market has totally shifted right now and it’s been so hard to find a house y’all!  I’m the emotional one.  I start envisioning my furniture in there and decorating….only to not get the house and then I have a pity party. I know right?

Our last day in our old house, so many memories!

I would tell any home buyer to be financially and emotionally prepared.  Don’t buy something you can’t afford, nobody wants to be house poor.  A home is what you make of it.  I didn’t envision us staying in our apartment for this long….but I know that God has a plan and hopefully come spring we will find the perfect house.

5 Things to Know Before Becoming a Homeowner

1. Save, save, save!!!  Having a good down payment makes a big difference.
2. Just because a house looks a certain way doesn’t mean you can’t change it.  Like that old wallpaper or avocado green oven in the kitchen.  Don’t let that deter you from buying a house you feel good about.
3. Location is everything.  Like they always say…that’s the reason we moved.  Our child got older and we moved to get into a better school district.  You can’t change location, but can always change the house or decor.
4. Get a thorough inspection before buying.  It’s so important because an inspector can see things you won’t & it could save you thousands in the future.
5. Think about the future and where you want to be.  Is this a 5, 10, or 15 year home and what type of mortgage do you want?

Capital One Home Loans is a great place to start your research.  Capital One has launched a completely re-imagined, personal and digital home loans experience.  This new home loan experience allows customers to pre-qualify for a home loan in minutes from any device, apply online, upload documents and digitally track progress from application to closing. It also includes personalized service from a dedicated loan officer when a customer needs it.

The new tools allow customers to make adjustments (home price, down payment, mortgage type) to see how much they can afford – including estimated monthly payment and APR in real time.  This is one of many steps that Capital One is taking to deliver a next-generation banking experience and make the home loan process simply smarter for customers.

To celebrate the launch of their new digital and personal experience, Capital One Home Loans is partnering with HGTV’s Love It or List It, Too (I love this show!) stars, Jillian Harris and Todd Talbot, to host a free and open-to-the public Open House event on Saturday, December 12 at the Stonebriar Centre mall in Frisco, TX.

During the event, they’ll share do-it-yourself tips and tricks for simplifying the entire home buying and owning process.

For more information, visit SmartHomeLoans.com

See if you qualify right now with the  Mortgage Loan Calculator

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.