Lessons learned from buying a house at the age of 22

I bought a house the week before I got married, and sold it about 3 years later. The last year, the house was on the market. It was a painful, and character building experience. Here are the quick points for you to apply to your own life. (Top 8 and Bottom Four Style.)

Top 8
1. We bought without a real estate agent
2. We sold with a great one!
3. A house built in 1965 has lots of character
4. We had lots of fun remodeling, (new kitchen, floors, etc..)
5. I can fix most parts of a house that don’t require a pro.
6. We bought in a time when lots of first time buyers were getting great loans
7. The selling side of the closing table is so much more relieving than the buying side of the table.
8. Great memories in my families first house.

Bottom Four
1. Assumptions are dangerous – especially those about things that you can’t control (housing market, economy, jobs, etc…)
2. Finished basements don’t count as livable square footage.
3. Never buy the biggest house in the neighborhood. (you won’t be able to sell it.)
4. Remodeling is a lot of work. (I can’t stress this one enough)