Special offer

Why I hate Tuna Fish--My First Home Story

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Bear River Valley Realty 5485753-PB00 UT

Buyers >> Yes you can save for a down payment!! 

Is it necessary to have money for a Down Payment? Not in Tremonton, Utah.
Would buyers get a better loan with a Down Payment? Absolutely yes.

This is my No-Down Payment story. Yes I have walked a mile in those shoes too.

When I purchased my first house many many moons ago I had saved up 20% to use as a down payment. My first home was purchased while I was still a single working woman earning $4.00 per hour (I know that would not feed a goldfish now days). The saving was a sacrifice that I was willing to make and after a couple of years I was ready to go look at homes. My First Home

See for those couple of years, I cut out all the frills in my life.

1)
 Lunches were sandwiches I made at home and took to work, thus the headline. I ate so many tuna sandwiches that I got physically sick at the very sight, smell, taste or thought of tuna fish and I cannot eat tuna to this day.  Same goes for PB&J.
2)
Rode my bicycle to work many days (approx 5 miles each way {uphill both ways})
3) Moved in with family members to save on rent (takes a strong constitution to tolerate family after a few years away much as I love em).
4) Learned how to get along without a new 8-track tape (this doesn't date me does it?) of the Beatles, Eagles, Neil Diamond, just love them oldies.
5)
Wore the same pair of jeans a while longer (jeans last forever don't they?).
6)  Researched the best places to invest the savings to optimize interest.

While the new and latest tech gadgets are tempting must have purchases, home buyers must prioritize and determine what means the most to them.  The rewards of INVESTING in your own home is one that will pay you big dividends down the road.  My strategy of saving for the down payment and paying extra on the mortgage payment has earned me the right to live in my home free of a mortgage payment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Successfully assisting Buyers who want to achieve THEIR American dream of homeownership. My philosophy: Treat all buyers the way I would treat my own family (whom I love dearly).

The picture above is of my first home that I saved and sacrificed for. Many happy memories were created in that house during the 17 yrs that I owned it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kathy Fuhriman Realtor
 

Gay E. Rosen
Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY
As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Kathy: You are a gem. The reason so many (not all of course) got into trouble these past years was simply because they could not wait to do the things you did systematically over a few years, they wanted it here, now, today... and are now complaining.... Best, Gay

Dec 28, 2010 02:16 AM
Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

WOW! At $4 an hour. I really liked this post because, and I may sound like a person I would considerd an "oldtimer" but these days it sems people do not have the patience or discipline to save for a future purchase!

Jan 13, 2014 11:29 AM