Oh, hi! It’s been a while (as in more than a year) since I’ve last posted here. Funny thing is that I have 10 blog drafts waiting for me to hit the “Publish” button. But, I was waiting for something big. And this, y’all, this is BIG! I’ve finally found THE ONE. No, it wasn’t on an online dating site (but close!). I recently made things super official and became a FIRST TIME HOMEOWNER! Going about something so big definitely proved to be challenging, especially when you do it all by yourself. Most people wait until they’re married to buy a house, and I’m sure having an extra person to share some of the responsibilities would be helpful. But, there’s something incredibly rewarding about doing this all on my own (well, financially, at least). I feel fortunate to be able to take on this new journey, but it hasn’t come without a few (hundred) questions. Is this the right home for me? How much should I offer? What’s involved in closing? How much is this really going to cost me? Is this normal? Can they do that?! Thanks to the calming efforts and question-answering skills of both my amazing parents and a fabulous realtor, I was able to make it to signing day and that gratifying moment when the keys were finally placed in my hand.

As much as I wanted to believe that buying a home would be super easy, the struggle is real. So, if you’re looking to buy or are currently in the process of buying your very first home, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way that I hope will help you in your own home-buying adventure.

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