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Owning a House for the First Time

When I got a job which entailed that I relocate, owning a house came to my mind for the first time. But after more than a year since I first started work here in Pampanga, I am still living in an apartment. Owning a house, I figured, is not an easy task to accomplish.

A house is very important for anyone. Owning one is everybody's dream. So it's understandable that the process of acquiring a house is difficult, time-consuming and emotional. If I bought a house, that would have been my most expensive buy to date. It would be my most valuable property. For ordinary people like myself, this is mostly the case.

That's why I take great care not to screw up buying the house of my dreams. I want it to be in the perfect place, near where I work and not far from where my daughter goes to school. I want to make sure that the neighborhood is as good as it can get and that the road to and from the house is perfect. As for the size, I was looking for either a bungalow or a two-story house which has three rooms and two toilets. 

The Search
In my search for a house, I first asked my colleagues and friends who live in the area if they knew houses being sold. I also got their opinion whether or not some popular housing spots are any good. I searched the internet for agents who can point me to a good house for sale and who may also be willing to give a tour of the properties they sell. All three agents that I met were very much willing to give me a tour since they really wanted people to check out their houses.

After giving three locations a visit, I thought I had two prospects. The third was too far away for me. But as I said, I am still living in an apartment today. That's because one of the two prospective houses was a little too expensive for my budget while the other one did not pass my quality standards.

A Learning Experience
This series of tasks which did not bear fruit was still a good experience for me. It was not an exercise in futility after all. I learned quite a few things which I would have not otherwise learned if I just did nothing. I got a feel of how houses are priced in the area near my workplace. I also got an overview of how the process of acquiring a house through a government loan will proceed if I ever decided to get one.  More importantly, it got me thinking whether I really need a house now or if I were better off just saving my money in the meantime.  Who knows? I might be working someplace else in the not so distant future.

Owning a house is a dream that I have not reached yet. But I expect to own one sooner or later. Until that time comes, I will acquire as much knowledge as I can which will help me make a wise decision. After all, this is my dream house for my family I am talking about.