An option for me to buy a house has come up very suddenly and it seemed like a good idea at first - but I look at a mortgage and think “that’s 15 years I’ll spend paying back, at absolute minimum. Probably more like 25 years” - how can I possibly plan that far in advance?
So, how did you feel about getting a mortgage and seeing such a serious commitment stretch so far into the future? I’m mainly talking about the emotional side of things rather than financial
It’s daunting, and it should be. A person can lose a lot of money and time by buying a lemon of a house.
That said, most people don’t pay off their first house, because they move before the 15 or 30 years is up. And that’s okay.
As Dave Ramsey says, “It’s a house, not a marriage.” Meaning, if it turns out a house doesn’t suit you, sell it. You can’t hurt it’s feelings.
Before my first house, I didn’t realize how much I would appreciate not having to get permission to fix / paint / change my own wall / door / shelf / window blinds.
I also didn’t realize how much I would grow to despise having a Homeowners Association (HOA) up in my business.