With wedding season coming to an end, many newly wedded couples are finding themselves with the question of where to live next. Whether they are coming from two separate homes or from a shared apartment, most couples want to make a significant improvement to correspond with the important change they just made in their lives. If you find yourself in this category, here are some tips in helping you find your very first home as a married couple.

DECIDING WHERE TO LIVE

First of all, you must decide, preferably before the wedding bells sound, what kind of home you want to move into. An apartment costs significantly less than a home, but you will be paying rent forever with no benefits. If you rent a house from landlords, you still have the luxury of living in a house without the hassle of dealing with problems that occur within the house. But again, you never have the chance to call it your own. (Link to buying first home) Depending on your annual income as a couple, your future plans and your monthly expenses, this is a decision you will need to reach together. Take your time. It’s a big one.

THINKING ABOUT BUYING A HOME

If you do decide to buy a home, there are steps that you may not be aware of. The obvious first step is to decide what area you would like to live in. Do you want to surround yourself with other young couples? Do you want children around incase you decide to start a family? If you don’t look into this major detail, you may accidentally find yourself living in a retirement community.

Also, check out the town. If you have to wake up early for work, chances are you don’t want to live by a loud airport or train track. If you commute to work, see how conveniently located the interstates are. If entertainment is what you seek, check your proximity to shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, golf courses, nature parks or whatever interests you most. If you plan on owning a pet someday, look to see if there are sidewalk paths. When starting a life together, you want to notice more than how impressive the house looks.

PREPARING TO BUY A HOME

Once you find the area you want to live in, start looking at the homes around there to see price ranges. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can sit down together and talk finances. Hopefully you have already discussed the exact bills that you each pay per month, so you have an idea of the level of income you have coming in together. Take into account your phone bills, insurance costs, car payments, etc. Take a trip to the grocery store together to figure out what you both like to eat, so you can estimate how much these trips will cost. Though you’ve been dealing with groceries and bills for what seems like forever, it all might change when considering another person in your plans. Once you come up with a budget you’re willing to spend, look for houses close to that budget. If you need a loan to help you out, make sure you get preapproved for one.

FINDING A HOME TO BUY

Start looking around together by going through advertisements on BuyOwner.com. Take tours of homes. Look online. You’ll start realizing what’s most important for you two to have. Are tornadoes common in your area? You probably want to make sure your home provides a basement. Do you already have a lot to store? Look for a house with an attic. Have you grown up your whole life with a pool and cannot possibly imagine life without one? Okay, well now you know. It’s important to consider the little things too. Do you own a lot of high-tech electronics? Check to see how many electrical plugs are available. Try to think of what’s most important to you two. If you disagree, compromise. You may not find everything you dreamt of just yet.

BUYING A HOME

Once you find the affordable home that satisfies you, have it inspected. Don’t save the money to not have this done. You’ll be sorry down the road when you find something terribly, unexpectedly wrong. If the house still turns out okay, decide how much to put down on the house. Again, go over finances for the next several months so you don’t suddenly find your bank account empty. Then, pay a down payment. The house is yours!

After that, the to-do list is not quite completed. Decide what homeowners insurance to obtain. Consider casualties, such as fires, flooding and wind damage; liability, which protects you against lawsuits from people injure themselves on your property; and personal property, which includes the protection for the items inside your home. Decide exactly what you want, and make sure that is what you obtain.

MOVING TO YOUR NEW HOME

Make plans with a moving company. Know exactly when to have them show up, how much space you’ll need for your stuff and what time they can arrive at your new home. If they need to pick up from two separate homes, make sure they know that. Good communication with the moving company is vital. They have full responsibility of everything you own.

Arrange for when to turn on the utilities in your new home. Make address changes. Start packing. Don’t pack everything you’ve ever owned. Figure out what you each own and whose you’ll take with you. If you can’t decide whether you should bring something, try to imagine exactly where you’d put it in the house. Don’t think about what you need to buy yet. You’ll just end up flustered and more confused. Saying goodbye to sentimental objects will be hard, but unpacking at your new home will later be a breeze.

Congratulations! You did it! Now that the hardest part is over, work on sharing your space with the person you love.

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