HOME is where the heart is - A guide to owning your first home together

One of the most exciting occasions in your life as a couple is when you and your love move into your fi rst home together! But before you turn the house you see into your dream home, here are a couple things that you need to take care of:

Money matters

Clean up your fi nances: pay off any previous debts, bills, or loans; pull copies of credit reports; get life and disability insurance; and resist the urge to splurge (don’t take out loans for that new “now-we’re-a-couple” car, expensive furniture, or frivolous toys). Be sure to research the mortgage deals at all the banks.

After organising your fi nances, discuss with your partner what you both want before you meet with a real estate agent. Decide on a price range and determine together what amenities are necessary and fi t your pocket. Be upfront with your real estate agent about your priorities and your budget, and view only those homes that you can afford. Finally, get pre-approved for a mortgage to ensure that you can buy your dream home once you fi nd it.

Obey your pocket

First-time homeowners operating on a budget (sticking to one of those is a diffi cult but do-able task!) often have the urge to initially buy a lot of inexpensive items. Instead of fi lling up a house quickly with a lot of furniture, it’s better to buy a few quality items that you really like. Start with the basics. For example, if you’re shopping for a bedroom, buy the bed you really want, and add complementary furnishings later.

Don’t buy too much ahead of time since you might fi nd it more rewarding to spend a few days looking around before you decide on any item. Buying furniture only because it’s on sale without considering if it’s the right size or style for a room is a common mistake. Just because it looked great in the store is not a good enough reason for buying it! The piece must look good in the setting that you’re going to place it in.

One of the most inexpensive ways to change the feel of any room is to use colour. If you want to make a room more vibrant—a new paint job might be all you need. You should also pay attention to lighting. If you’re looking for a work-area light fi xture, buy a strong one that’s suitable for the task. Lighting will also look better if you light a specifi c space (such as a wall where you plan to display artwork) rather than trying to buy a light fi xture that illuminates the whole room.

Beautify your love nest

Sometimes exhilaration can give way to distress as new homeowners face the daunting tasks before them; one of those tasks is fi lling up their space with the right things. Roderick Shade, founder of Roderick N. Shade Interior Design in New York City and author of Harlem Style reveals that, “one of the biggest problems is not taking the time to fi gure out exactly what you want when decorating a fi rst home.” Before you buy your fi rst item, Shade suggests that you look at decorating magazines, examine the different types of furnishings, and compare overall styles; such as contemporary versus traditional, and take the time to fi gure out exactly what you want.

Getting professional help is also a good idea for many fi rst-time decorators. A good designer can save you much of the drudge time. They know the best places to shop but the average person might not. One could also seek help at a furniture store, many of which have consultants on staff for just that purpose.

So, what are you waiting for?