The journey to finding our home was challenging.
Brief Introduction
I've been dating my now-husband since our high school graduation exams. During university and the COVID period, we moved in together to my mum's apartment because she went to live with her boyfriend. So, for a while, we lived with my younger sister. Then my sister rented her own apartment, but after my mum broke up with her boyfriend, she moved back in. Later, we were allowed to rent my father's apartment (he has two for rent). Then came our engagement, the wedding, and the honeymoon. We have always been somewhat traditional in these things, so we had the wedding first, then the house. So, we decided to buy a flat that would be just ours.
The Search
We started searching in the summer after our wedding. We wanted to find a bigger apartment so we would be ready for a family, even though, for example, my father said we should buy a "starter" home (even though he asks for grandchildren almost every time we see him). It was post-COVID; prices were still pretty high, but mortgage rates were insane. We still decided we wanted it. My husband had just finished university (I had already been working for a few years), so we were lucky to have two full incomes and could be approved for a mortgage.
The search was shorter than I expected. I hear from colleagues who have been trying to find a house to their liking for about three years already. We saw just three apartments before we found The One. We had scheduled another apartment tour, so we went to see it, but we still loved the chosen one the most; we just wanted to be sure. It was bigger than the others for the same price, already renovated, and just a dream. It was a little over the budget that we (more like me) had agreed on, but we wanted it anyway. We tried to do our due diligence: we invited my sister to see if she would spot anything that should worry us, and I also invited my friend who works in the construction industry-he knows his stuff. But it seemed okay; nothing major showed up in the inspections. So, we signed the papers.
The Mortgage
Now the real "fun" began: the mortgage process. We encountered some problems, but fortunately, we had a financial advisor dealing with them for us. I honestly have no idea what I would have done without her. A year later, I had the opportunity to refinance the interest rate with another bank-the bank I started working at, since they offer discounts for employees. The catch was that it had to be processed without the financial advisor. And it was hell. Every paper the bank needed to collect, every new thing they thought of, we had to do-including informing the insurance company and so on. The bank even made mistakes, like losing the signed mortgage document. Luckily, we still had our copy. How could that happen? The mortgage specialist was no help either, and the processes are set up all wrong. It caused me so much stress. And from what I've heard, this is not really unusual. How they are still in business, I wonder all the time.
But we made it. We survived. Now we have a slightly better interest rate, even though it’s still pretty high (especially compared to what was available before COVID). And we’ll be paying that for the next 30 years-yay. Well, hopefully not, with the help of our financial advisor, investing, saving, and so on.
The Home
On the other hand, we have our home now, where we’ve lived for a year and a half already-I can’t believe it. It’s far from perfect (they should have sold it for even less), and the kitchen is designed as if the people who did it haven’t spent a minute in any kitchen in their whole life. The shower leaks. The attic and roof are poorly insulated. We are on a journey to make it better, more functional, and nicer. But it’s ours, and we wouldn’t change it. Especially now, since prices have gone up quite a lot since we bought it.
Tips for Surviving the Mortgage
Get a good financial advisor. They can save you time, stress (so much), and sometimes even money by guiding you through the paperwork and negotiations.
Stay organized. Keep copies of every document, email, and signed paper-just in case something gets lost (like our document did) or needs to be referenced later.
Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to clarify anything you don’t understand with your bank or mortgage specialist. It’s their job to help you.
Expect delays and mistakes. Unfortunately, hiccups are common. Try to stay patient and persistent.
Don’t rush. Take your time with inspections and paperwork. It’s better to double-check everything now than regret it later.
Lean on your support network. Friends and family with experience can offer advice and spot things you might miss.
Plan for the long term. Interest rates and payments can change, so keep an eye on refinancing opportunities and always have a savings buffer.
Celebrate the small wins. Every step forward is progress. Remember, the stress is temporary, but your home is yours for years to come.
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| The image is AI generated. This is neither us nor our home. |
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