First-Time Buyer

So I had an IKEA delivery arrive at my new flat I purchased. They gave me a timeslot of 13:30 to 17:30, so naturally they arrived at 20:38 but that’s a completely different story entirely. The guy who did the delivery was a young lad, around 20 (That’s right, I’m at that age where 20 seems young to me). As he was delivering the stuff we were engaged in conversation, especially as he was impressed by the area. “Do you rent this place bro”, he said. “Nah mate, first time purchase”. At this point I swear he let out a wow with about 7 o’s. He kept saying how inspired he felt by me and that he knew all his grinding would pay off after seeing this. I guess sometimes when we achieve great feats, especially with all the hustle and bustle around us we tend not to take a step back and soak it all in. I’ve achieved a goal which was four years in the making and it hit home how epic that actually was.

People used to tell me how hard the housing process was for a first time buyer.. lol, they’re not wrong. I did shed-loads of research beforehand yet I still felt as though there was so much more to know.

Estate Agent; “Have you got your solicitor sorted out?”

Me; “Yeah, of course I have..”

Also Me; *researches what a solicitor is*

Good thing I did my research too ‘cos I was always under the assumption cheaping out was more efficient. Let me debunk that myth right there ‘cos with those guys, you get what you pay for. Don’t expect anything to progress with your purchase if you don’t initiate things. Playing hard to get like some of those girls that always rejects you. I actually had to roll up to their offices on two occasions like I owned the place just to get things moving along. Those guys will play with your emotions but are quick to send you the final invoice when all is done.

I also faced a bunch of unknowns along the way but luckily for me, I have a number of friends who’d been through the process already. Leveraging off of people’s experiences was key. The housing market is a distasteful environment so it’s always best to know how to position yourself… now add money into the mix. Money is the root of all evil and when you’re talking about it in large sums, it gets very sticky. And the sellers I was buying from were absolute chancers too. They tried to charge me for everything from their old-ass microwave to their nasty-ass mattress!

Sellers; “These blinds right here are custom fitted for this house so if you don’t want them, we’ll just have to take it away to our new place”.

Me; “…but if they’re custom fitted, it won’t fit in your new place right?”

Sellers; “…”

The best advice I can give though is to mentally prepare yourself for owning a property. It doesn’t stop at just the home; unless you’re gonna be sitting on the floors, you’ll need furniture. You’ll also need a TV too unless you’re content with staring at the walls. That TV won’t run on Indomie bro, gotta sort out the electricity and all those other bills that come into the mix. Certain guys only have their phone bills to keep up with and they think the next step is a property? “Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up payments on your mortgage”. That phrase will stick to you like herpes; have that etched in your brain like your pin number during a night out. Be realistic and don’t rush into something you’re not ready for. There’s no shame living at home or renting in the meantime. As glamorous as owning a property sounds, it’s a huge investment and great responsibilities… wish me luck, I’m still accepting house warming gifts if you’re wondering too 😉 .

Joe