There will come a point in your life, sooner or later, when you will be purchasing your own home, and it will be more memorable than anything you’ve ever experienced. Nothing stays the same after you become a homeowner. Exciting as this whole experience can be, there are a few points that you should keep in mind because it can be financially straining. This article will list some things you can do as a first-time homeowner to save money. 

1. Set a budget

Set a budget

You must set a budget as soon as you decide to become a homeowner. Plenty of houses are out there, and some are simply out of your league. It definitely doesn’t make any sense to get into debt just so you can buy a home, while there are others that you could afford. So, you need to determine what kind of house you can afford, and based on that, start your search. 

2. Hire an experienced realtor

While this may seem meaningless to you, hiring an experienced real estate agent will save you a lot of time and effort. These people know what they’re doing, and they know the market, which means they can get you the best deal on the house you want.

3. Create an emergency fund

This also might strike you as uncalled for, yet an emergency fund is crucial. The thing about owning a place is that it is much more expensive than renting; not just because of mortgage, but rather the unexpected costs of maintenance that pop up. So, you need to have some money in place in case of emergencies, because the last thing you want is to urgently need the money and not be able to secure it, as that would mean taking a loan and adding more expenses to your situation.

4. Shop around for lenders

Unless you happen to have thousands of dollars, chances are you’ll have to pay for the house by taking out a loan. One mistake a lot of people make is to take the first offer they get. You need to shop around for quite some time to get multiple quotes from various lenders. That way, you ensure that you’ll find a decent interest rate that suits you instead of going with the first one that might be too high. 

5. A bigger down payment

You need to save up until you can afford a bigger down payment than you can possibly pay. It can’t be less than 20 percent because, in that case, you might have to pay mortgage insurance. If you can go even bigger than 20, it will be better for you because that means fewer instalments in the long run. 

6. Save on furniture

Furniture is one avenue you need to be really careful with when it comes to your first home. If you don’t set a specific budget, you might spend a lot of money you don’t have. You’ll need to act wisely to save money on furniture purchases, as it’s always best if you take a little time looking for the most affordable pieces you can get without jeopardizing the quality and overall style of your place. To achieve this, make sure you start with the essential furniture only, then take it from there and add complementary pieces as you go.

7. Work on your credit score

Your credit score will play a significant role in just how cheap your loan will be. The better your score is, the fewer interest rates and loan fees you’ll pay. This is why you need to improve your score; it will save you a lot of money in the long run. 

8. Talk to a lender before finding a place

A common mistake many people make is to start looking for houses before talking to lenders. That might not be too good for you in the future, and you might end up paying for it. The best approach is always to talk to lenders first to know your range and then go look for houses within that range.

9. Take utility bills into consideration

As mentioned earlier, you’re going to create a fund for emergencies, but you can’t tap into that every month of the year. This is why planning your expenses is very important, and you’ll have to consider utility bills and maintenance costs. A lot of people just think about the mortgage as the only financial commitment to their houses, but there’s much more to it. 

10. Talk to several contractors


Most first-time homeowners get shocked when they find out just how expensive repairs can be. If you want to save money, talk to several contractors to find the best offer, and more importantly, to better negotiate in future dealings.

11. Choose the right time to buy

Believe it or not, the season you’re in affects the property price. Experts add that prices in summer and spring are higher, while winter has the best ranges. So, if you can, wait until then to purchase the property. 

12. Go with lower offers

Unless you know the property you want is that hot, you should go in with a low offer. If the owner doesn’t like it, they’ll usually give you a counteroffer. In any case, it beats starting with a higher number, and you might save a lot of money.

13. Start small

As a first-time homeowner, you might be tempted to buy all the things you want for the place, which is a big mistake that can put you in debt. It’s best to start small and build your dream home.

It is definitely one of the most exciting times when you decide to buy a home for the first time. You must be very careful with how you go about it, though. Take your time and make sure you cover all your bases, and you can save a lot more money than if you rushed into the whole thing.