Home Trends from Andrea Rozenberg

ANDREA ROZENBERG

BUYING A HOME: NEWLYWED EDITION While many couples buy a home before getting married, it’s still common for the home buying process to take place after the big day. Either way, there are several things you can do before beginning to make the process go more smoothly. Start by ensuring you both have a decent credit score. Improving your credit isn’t overly difficult to do, but it can take several months so tackle this task as soon as possible. Next up, start paying off any outstanding debt. If your debt load is high compared to your income it can be tricky to get approved for a mortgage. One other thing you should definitely be doing is speaking openly about your current finances and financial goals. Draw up a budget and remember to include everything that comes with home ownership, such as property taxes, utility bills, regular maintenance costs and an emergency fund for those “just in case” situations. Buying your first home together should be more exciting than it is stressful. Being prepared is the best way to ensure that will happen.

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