Author: Ashley Eneriz / Source: Wise Bread
Buying the home of your dreams can be a thrilling process — until you find out that you and your spouse cannot agree on anything. House hunting with someone that has different tastes or priorities can slow down the process and make every home you look at a disappointment.
Here’s how to find the perfect home for you and your spouse, even if you can’t agree on every little thing.
Make separate wish lists
You and your spouse should both write out your 10 must-haves for your new home. If you have more than 10 items, narrow it down so that you focus on the highest priorities. Let’s be real: You can live without a claw foot tub in the master bathroom, but you might be at your wit’s end if you have to deal with a small, cramped kitchen.
Once you both have your lists made, highlight any items that are matching. If you can find four to six matching items, you are off to a great start. Those should be the items you focus on. All non-matching items on your list then need to be rated as “must-have” or “nice to have, but can live without.” This will allow you to narrow down your search and save time when looking for the perfect home.
Determine the big non-negotiables
Some things are non-negotiable, such as price or neighborhood. If you know that you can only spend so much money or that you only want to buy in a certain area, it helps you both to get on the same page. I recommend sitting down and agreeing on a maximum budget before even starting the home tours.
When you are dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars, going $20,000 over budget for your dream home may not seem like a big deal, especially when you have 30 years to pay off the debt.
However, in addition to adding cost to your monthly mortgage payment, going over budget can also add tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your loan. It is important to know exactly how much you will be…The post How to Agree on the Perfect Home With Your Spouse appeared first on FeedBox.