Friday, April 17, 2009

Well, what do you think?

I could live here:
During our five years of marriage Zach and I have lived in five different apartments in four different states. As I mentioned yesterday, Zach just got a new job here which he plans to keep for awhile (economy permitting) and that means we actually might stay here long enough to buy a house. What do you think? I know you all have opinions, horror stories and success stories and I want to hear them! Let me know all your advice for choosing a house, or do you think we should just keep renting?


Here are some of the reasons I am reserved about it:
-I eventually want to move out West. If we get a house here, will we stay forever?
-According to Forbes.com, Greensboro is the fourth most empty city in the US. On the same list as Detroit.
-I just can't believe we might stay ANYWHERE longer than a year.


And here's why I am thinking we should just go for it:
-$8,000 tax rebate!
-Low interest rates.
-Great prices, probably has something to do with the fact that no one wants to live here.
-I have completely given up on making our apartments feel like home. I don't even hang pictures anymore.

5 comments:

Natalie said...

I say go for it! Buying a house is so much fun and such a great investment especially right now. And with it being a buyers market you could easily get that house in the picture.

andrea said...

I'm with Natalie. Go for it! You will LOVE it. Here is my best house-buying advice:

1. Stay in our ward. :)

2. Look at the good school districts and then buy in those neighborhoods. Even though your boys aren't in school yet, houses that are districted to good schools generally sell more easily.

3. Look at a bunch of houses in your price range and find one that "feels right." That's what happened with both of the houses that we've bought. I thought, "I could totally see us living here."

Good luck! It's such a fun, stressful thing.

Chase said...

from what I understand, the 8000 rebate isn't much of a rebate. It's actually a loan. You have to pay it back over the next five years of tax returns, or something like that. You should look it up. If you do decide to buy a home I'd go with a 15 year loan you begin to pay principal in much greater amounts and much faster. and the payments aren't much more. Plus, lower rate.

Amber said...

Thanks Chase. First time home buyers who purchased their home in 2008 are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit that they have to repay, but if you purchase a home this year before Dec. 1, you don't have to repay it as long as you stay in the home for three years ( see http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=206293,00.html). I'll have to look into the 15 year loan. I haven't thought of that at all. Thanks everyone for thanks everyone for the advice.

B said...

Go for it. Even if you dno't make any money on the resell of your house - you saved probably thousands of dollars in rent you would have just flushed down the toilet. Make sense? Do it! The $8,000 makes it totally worth it I think.