You Owe it to Yourself....

Owning your own home is quite an accomplishment and something to be proud of! However, when you sign on that dotted line at closing, you are taking on a lot of responsibility that you should take seriously.

Hopefully, you’ve purchased a home you can afford. You owe it to yourself to buy a house that most closely meets your needs and is manageable within your household income. This may seem obvious but many people become “house poor” and just barely squeak by paying the monthly bills. This causes massive amounts of stress within a family...don't let it happen to yours.

You also owe it to yourself and your lender to pay your mortgage on time. Paying your bills in a timely manner builds your credit score which is always a good thing. A higher credit score allows you access to lower interest rates which comes in handy especially when you need money for new furniture or a new car for example. Being responsible financially is an important skill to learn and keeping your debts low and saving for the future are integral parts of this skill. Hopefully you have this down pat before you buy a house!

Last but not least, you owe it to yourself and your neighbors to maintain your home in a respectable manner and treat your neighbors with kindness and respect. Building relationships, even if they are just surface relationships and taking care of your home and yard are important parts of whether or not a neighborhood thrives or decays. The value of your home depends on it.