I want to share with you all that EVERYONE is able to accomplish this dream on their own. It has been 10 years since I bought my first house on my own without a significant other. You are wondering, how I was able to buy this big purchase all on my own.
Growing up, I always dreamed of one day living the American Dream: Having a family with a white picket fence house! However, by the age of 26, I wasn’t married yet. My goal was to get married by 25 but it didn’t happen when I turned 26.
I am very grateful to my parents who taught me how to live a frugal life early on since they were my example as I was growing up. I was able to save up a lot of money while living at home and attending college. Then almost finishing college, I was hired on as an Entry-Level Programmer/Analyst which became my first full-time job at the age of 23. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to continue taking a lot of classes because of the full-time job which I don’t regret at all. It took me 2 years longer to finish my undergraduate degree. During college, I didn’t go out a lot with friends and didn’t take any vacations at all which helped me save a lot of money. After getting several months into the new job, I bought my first new car and within 2.5 years it was paid off.
Then 3 years later, at the age of 26, after many MLS listing search via my realtor who I probably drove crazy everyday asking for a new list for me to research if the property was in a good location. I had certain criteria for my first house:
1. Single Family House with 1 Level: because 2 story houses are a nuisance after a while (Lesson learned from a college classmate who hated their 2 story house since bedroom was upstairs and it was too much work going upstairs carrying the baby.) Opportunity for gardens. More privacy. Quieter. Upside of owning a single family house is easy wheelchair access, some medical conditions such as bad knees make it hard for certain individuals to climb stairs, and easier to clean. Downside of owning a single family house are can be noisier if stereos or televisions are located on the same floor as bedrooms, some people feel safety is compromised if bedrooms are located at ground level, more of the lot is absorbed by living quarters.
2. No Townhouse/Condominium: Downside of owning a condo is less privacy, noisier, common walls and/or floors and ceilings. Sometimes no private yard or balcony. Upside of owning a condo is less expensive than comparable single-family homes, generally newer so fewer repairs, lock-n-go lifestyle and no yard or exterior maintenance.
3. No Cul De Sac House: you will have less parking space in front of house and lot is smaller. Less privacy, neighbors know about you.
4. Corner House: Upside of corner house are often larger lots, fewer neighbors, more visibility. Downside of corner house are more traffic noise more vulnerable to vehicles jumping the curb, kids might trespass at the corner, more sidewalk to shovel in winter.
5. Not in Front of Park/School/Train Station/Railroad Tracks/Shopping Center/Alley Parking: too much traffic and people and less privacy.
6. House with an Underground Foundation, not Concrete Slab as its Foundation: this means, the house is sitting on higher ground level and less likely to flood during rain season. Also it is easier to make any renovations underneath the house if there is an underground foundation.
7. Interior Specifications:
a. No Chimney – very costly to fix if there is Earthquake damage. Maintenance fee to clean it.
b. 2 Bathrooms – growing up living in an apartment with 2 bathroom was so nice. Then moving into a house with 1 bathroom was not easy. Therefore, I wanted to make sure there was at least 2 bathrooms.
c. 3 Bedrooms – wanted to have a bedroom, a guest room/kid’s room later on, and my own home office.
d. Laundry Room inside the house so it’s easier to do laundry at any time.
8. Higher Elevation: less likely to flood during rain season.
9. Not Near Mountains/Hillside: Easier for house to catch on fire during fire season and dangerous when there is an earthquake. Beside these homes are more expensive and out of my budget.
Luckily, I didn’t require my realtor to provide me a list of those specific property listing since I was able to do the research on on my own. The realtor only provided a daily MLS listing of single family house for sale in the targeted areas (Suburbs of Los Angeles). With only 9 criteria to find my first house didn’t sound difficult, right. I looked at many house via on the internet and drove by the houses that had its potentials. I only asked the realtor to go the MAYBE houses. Then I thought that I found “My House” and put in the offer but it was not meant for me since I was outbid. A week later, another house became available on the next street over and I researched everything about the house and no one else showed up for the Open House except for me. It was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t end up with the outbid house because I ended up with a nicer house in a nicer neighborhood with nice neighbors. Looking back, God definitely had a plan for me to buy this house. It was perfect for me! I wasn’t sure if I was able to afford it since their asking price was higher than my budget. But the seller was able to give me a little discount.
Now it has been 10 years since buying this house and I am glad that I made the decision to buy it on my own back then. You might be wondering how I live frugally and living a green life (will update the below section as I remember more things):
1. Live within My Means – It has been easy for me to live by this rule since I was raised by my parents with this phrase.
2. Buy Needed Things Not Want Things – It has been easy for me to live by this rule since I was raised by my parents with this phrase.
3. Buy Want Things Only after Researching for Best Bargain Price – to treat myself once in a while for saving all that money.
4. Make a Weekly Grocery List – I had a tendency to buy lots of stuff when I went to the market and saw things on sale. So by having a grocery list, I refrained from buying the whole market which I didn’t need all that food.
5. Keep a Monthly Budget – It helped me keep track of my expenses and income. I also kept track of current bills and upcoming bills in order to see how much money I needed to save for the upcoming bills.
6. Keep a Notebook of Bills – It lists all of the credit card bills with current balance, current interest rate, closing date, bill statement amount and bill due date and new balance after bill is paid. I was able to establish good credit history at an early age in college and had self-control by only spending what I was able to pay when bill is due. I only use credit card on most of my purchases: pay most of the bills, groceries, insurance, shopping (clothes, shoes, household items), and restaurants. I only have credit cards that have no annual fee. Don’t waste your money on getting credit cards that charge an annual fee. I have earned many reward points over the years and gotten many gift certificates which I treated myself to things offered from these rewards programs.
7. Rarely Went on Vacations – I have saved a lot of money by not travelling to see other states/countries/areas. Luckily, most of my jobs required me to travel to around.
8. Rarely Went to Restaurants – I loved eating out at restaurants, but luckily most of my dates paid for our outings therefore it really helped me save money. I used to eat out at various restaurants/fast food places for lunch at work, but I have been trying to save more money by packing lunch to work which has allowed me to eat healthier and save money.
9. Buy Things on Sale – I will only buy things when it is on sale and after researching for the best bargain price available.
10. Use Coupons when Available – On a weekly basis, I look at the weekly grocery ads to see which market has the products on sale that I need and find the coupons online.
11. No Need for Luxury Car, Designer Clothes/Furniture – I love the luxurious things in life too but I don’t need these luxury items. Besides, I don’t want total strangers to think I am rich which I am not when I am driving to work and running errands. I am still driving my first car that I bought 13 years ago which of course, people think I am poor when they see me drive in my old car, but it is reliable and saves on fuel expense. Frankly, I don’t care what total strangers think of me in my old car. I don’t feel the need to wear fashion designer clothes since the thought of paying full price or a lot of money makes me cringe on the inside. Because I just contributed to the fashion designer’s bank account in becoming more affluent and able to buy more villas/mansions while I am living frugal. I don’t think so! I furnished the whole house with Ikea Furniture which is still looking very good after 10 years.
12. Buy Clothes/Shoes when Needed – It is not easy to stop buying more clothes and shoes, but I have stopped since I ran out of closet space in the house. Gals/Guys, I know everyone has this problem. But next time, you have the urge to buy that outfit/shoe think there are other people in this world who don’t even have a pair of shoes or clean clothes to wear while on the other hand, you have a house full of clothes/shoes that hasn’t been worn for ages.
13. Trying to Live a Green Life by Recycling, Reuse, and Reduce (RRR) – There are many ways to recycle almost everything. At home, I recycle by reprinting on the other side of the paper if it is to be utilized for myself. I recycle the water bottles, laundry detergent plastic bottles, dishwasher detergent plastic bottles, and paper containers. I don’t have much trash because, all compostable items are set aside for the compost pile such as egg shells, fruit peels, and vegetable peels. For example, I have not bought any trash can liners in the house because I reuse the plastic bags from the grocery stores for the kitchen trash, bathroom trash cans bedroom trash cans. I also have another reuse for the plastic bags from market which is picking up after my dogs’ poops during the dog walk. I reduce using water by taking shorter showers, turn off water while brushing teeth, use cold water in washing machine, use less utility (electricity/gas/water), drive vehicle to destinations when necessary and combine errands together.
14. Use All of the Toothpaste in its Tube – My Mom taught me a trick on how to use up all of the toothpaste in the tube by taking a ruler to squeeze all of its toothpaste content to the top of tube. Then cut the tube with scissors to scrape the toothpaste that is still stuck on inside of tube.
15. Use Cold Water in Washing Machine and Wash Full Load – I use less energy for using cold water in washing machine and less electricity for running a full load in washing machine.
16. Take Shorter Shower – I use less water when I don’t need the water running when lathering soap/shampoo/conditioner.
17. Schedule Sprinklers to Turn on at Night around 10 or 11 pm – Water absorbed more into the soil if you water your yard late at night because it will not evaporate into the air.
The above list is not easy for everyone to live by, but the end result will be so great that it is worth sacrificing your splurges in order to own your own house also.
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