I've been renting since college. Divorce, unemployment, stepkids & child support, part-time work... all mean there's never been "extra" money to save up for a house until the last couple years.
My biggest goal for this year is to finally buy my own house. I'm not sure if I'll qualify as my credit is good but I don't have much savings and I don't make big bucks at my job. I know there are first-time home buyer & down payment assistance programs for my state so I'm hoping to make it to a lender in the next month to see if I can qualify for something in a good neighborhood with a good school district and then move this summer.
The house we've been renting for the last 4 1/2 years is in an okay-ish neighborhood but it's tiny (900 square feet) and was built in the 1940s. It's been been sold many times over so a lot of the stuff in the house is from different eras and different styles. None of the renovations have been quality or long-lasting so there are also a ton of things that need to be properly and permanently fixed.
I'd love to have a house with a little more space, like 1200 or 1300 square feet, with either a second living space or a basement for the kids to watch TV and play video games in. I'd love to have a garage to park in, and a separate non-bedroom space for my office now that I have a permanent WFH position. I also really want to have at least one mature tree and a fenced-in backyard so we can finally get the dog the kids have been wanting for ages.
We'll see what happens!
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