According to a 2015 Urban Institute report, delayed marriage and student loan debt are the biggest factors holding millennials back from buying homes. But though the path to homeownership is rocky, many millennials still want that “American Dream.”
By Brittany Anas | January 23, 2019
How I bought my first home:
DiTullio and her fiancé live with her fiancé’s brother, who uses a wheelchair, so finding an accessible home was a top priority. Prior to purchasing their home in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, they were renting an apartment together in a new, fully-accessible apartment building. They wanted to own a home, though, to make sure they had a permanent residence that would fit her future brother-in-law’s needs. They also didn’t want to worry about big rent hikes. Before they started the home-buying process, they took a first-time homebuyer class.
DiTullio worked with Kate Ziegler, a Realtor with Arborview Realty in Boston, Massachusetts.
They now live on the first floor of a recently-renovated two-family home with hardwood floors and big windows. At a little under 1,000 square feet, but well-laid out, it doesn’t feel small. “The living area has a beautiful fireplace, and though it no longer works, we love the aesthetic of it,” DiTullio says.
Find the right agent
“It took us months to find the right agent, and my biggest advice to anyone buying a home is to invest that time,” DiTullio says. Be sure your agent is your best advocate, she says. She peppered Ziegler with 100-some questions throughout the process and appreciated her real estate agent’s expertise and empathy.
Don’t rush
Yes, you may feel the need to act fast, especially in competitive markets, DiTullio says. But don’t rush the process and waive your inspection or let questions go unanswered: “There is always time to get your questions answered and time to come to a mutual understanding with the seller’s team,” she says.
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