How I Ended Up Saving $275,000 Off Of Buying My First House
Imagine that you've been living in a slumlord's apartment for a year, and you're trying to terminate your lease in the next 45 days. Thinking about next steps in life, you've decided that you're finally over the woes of renting and are ready to buy your first place. Now add to this picture a beautiful realtor who pretends she's here to save the day, but in reality, she's prepping for a big payday on one of your most vulnerable moments.
That's how I almost paid $275,000 more than I needed to on buying my first home.
I've lived in New York City for three years and have been contemplating buying a place for a while now. After living through roaches, gnats, spiders, broken ovens, roommates and floods, I decided that I had enough and was ready to buy something I could take care of myself. I was looking for duplexes in Jersey City, and someone referred me to what seemed to be a great realtor. She had five star reviews online, was very knowledgeable, and had been in the industry for over eight years. More importantly, when we spoke on the phone, she sounded like my long lost aunt who would guide and protect me during my purchase. I was so excited to work with her!
On that Saturday, the realtor took me out for a drive. We drove around for hours! We talked about everything under the sun while looking at different neighborhoods. She then took me to the house that she wanted me to buy. This house was in an up-and-coming neighborhood, and her husband was closing on it that week. He and his business partner were going to flip the house to a buyer, and were letting me look at it in case I was interested due to my timeline.
We walked in the house, and it looked scary, yet the realtor kept insisting that the house only needed basic cosmetics that I could take care of with $50,000. She even went so far as to have her husband's contractor come out, and she showed me some of his work in other houses. Of course, I fell in love with the potential of this home!
Then, we talked numbers.
I gave her my pre-approval letter earlier in the week. She said the home was for sale $425,000, the top of my budget, and called my lender to see if I could borrow $50,000 more for modest renovations. At the end of the day, I went home dreaming of renovated kitchens, bathrooms, new furniture, and hosting my first housewarming with friends.
But I also did my research…
And to my surprise, I found out that the home was listed six months earlier in the exact same condition for $150,000! Furthermore, there were no comparable homes to support this new $425,000 asking price, as the highest home price in that area was $268,000. I was livid, and felt betrayed and taken advantage of.
But most of all, I felt proud that I was able to save myself years of financial distress.
So before you buy your first place, take these five steps to make sure you're covered:
1. Let go of emotion.
Realtors are salespeople, and many great salespeople are very relatable. If you're working with a realtor day-to-day, it is natural to grow a bond with them. While some people genuinely have your best interest at heart, it's sometimes difficult to tell who actually does. That being said, always verify any information that a realtor gives you, no matter how much you trust them.
2. Search for the property online.
Zillow gives you an idea of property values to help you figure out if you are paying too much, just right, or if you've got yourself a steal and should move fast! You can also see how many days a home has been listed, how many people are looking at it, and plenty of other useful information. Trulia is another good site that provides similar facts. Their crime rate heat map is very helpful if you are looking in unfamiliar areas. Use these sites and others to supplement information you receive from your Realtor.
3. Call the listing agent.
Even if you're working with a realtor, call the listing agent to verify everything that you've heard about the area and the property. And while you're at it, call one or two more realtors! Ask the same questions across the board to make sure you're getting consistent responses.
4. Phone a friend.
One of the biggest reasons I was able to dodge this bullet to my finances was because I called someone who knew more than me about real estate. He helped me research the area, and together we called the realtor's bluff. Talk to someone who owns a home or pays attention to the market. If you don't have any friends in the industry, see what you can find out from the online community. Start with leaving a comment below.
5. Ask the lender.
One benefit to taking out a mortgage is that the lender will have to verify the property value. If you've been pre-approved for a mortgage loan, send the property address to your lender and get their opinion on the numbers. In the end, I did not purchase the house. By taking those five steps, I learned that the purchase price was much higher than the actual market value according to homes in the area. The house also needed a lot more work than the realtor let on. A few weeks later I decided to make a different house my home.
Lots of emotions come with house hunting from excitement to anxiety. Let's make sure we stay informed to make the best decisions that we can. To all the homeowners out there, what's your experience been in buying your first home?
Related Post: 10 Major Keys for First Time Home Buyers
Jasmine T. Brown is founder and CEO of Onward Holding Company, LLC, a real estate investment group.
Featured image by Shutterstock
- Buying A Home During Pandemic, Refinacing Mortgage - xoNecole ... ›
- First Time Home Buying Tips Single Women - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
Courtesy
I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
Courtesy
That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
Courtesy
So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
Courtesy
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy