The Ultimate Home-Buying Checklist

buying a home

Buying your first home comes with all the emotions — from the excitement of finding your perfect forever home to the nerve-racking experience of handing over your life's savings and taking on a large debt. And there's no Master Class for preparing for your first or any home buy. We chatted up Mint.com's CFP Brittney Castro, who walked us through the financial checklist for making sure you stay within budget. "This is really important because it will make sure you don't stretch yourself too thin and get into something we call "house poor," where all your money goes toward the house and you have nothing left for other goals or retirement," says Castro. Here are 10 steps for making a smart investment.

1. Know How Much You Can Afford. Before you fall for that 4 bed, 4 bath dream house, start by taking a good look at your budget. "Determine what bills you have, what your rent is now, how much more you could afford in the mortgage payment and other housing costs, which should include property taxes, home insurance, and maintenance and repairs," says Castro.

You can get a good estimate of what the mortgage will be from most real estate sites or use an online mortgage calculator and decide if you can swing it with your annual budget. "We talk a lot about budgeting and following the 50, 20, 30 rule of thumb," says Castro. That means you should dedicate 50 percent of your budget for fixed bills, 20 percent for savings, and 30 percent for fun stuff or variable expenses. "Out of that 50 percent, the guide is typically no more than like 28 percent of that is for your housing costs," she adds.

2. Start a Home Savings Account. If you're not quite at your home budget goal, you can open a home savings account to earn more interest than you would on a checking or regular savings account. "Because goals of a home down payment are usually five years or less, we suggest opening a savings account versus maybe investing in the stock market because that comes with more risk. You just don't know what the market will be five years from now when you want to buy the home."

This is also a good idea if you want to start saving for home repairs in case, for example, the roof breaks or if you don't have taxes and insurance embedded in your monthly payments.

3. Get Pre-Approved. Interest rates are low right now, which is a great time to lock in a mortgage rate. That said, you want to shop around for the best mortgage rate and loan. Castro recommends a locking in a 30-year fixed rate (where the interest rate doesn't change over time so no financial surprises) and that you're putting enough of a down payment (20 percent recommended) to not have primary mortgage insurance, or PMI. "Technically, you could get in the home sooner by putting down 5 percent because you won't have to save as long, but you just have to factor in there's going to be an additional monthly cost," she says.

Once you have your pre-approval, you'll be able to start searching with confidence knowing that you have the financials backed up (and the seller will feel confident too). FYI, here are the forms you'll need to get your mortgage approval:

  • The last two years' worth of your tax returns
  • Pay stubs or proof of income for the last two months
  • All bank statements, plus brokerage and investment account statements, for the last two years
  • Proof you have cash for the down payment and closing (or a gift letter if your parents are helping you)
  • ID like a driver's license or passport

4. Find a Realtor You Trust. Shop around for a local realtor too; someone who really understands the market in the area you're looking *and* someone you feel comfortable representing you. This is a big moment in your life at not a small expense so make sure the person guiding you through it feels like the right business partner.

5. Start Your Search. Here's the fun part, and usually step 1 for many. But it's important to cover 1-4 first to avoid disappointment and wasted time. Also, it's easy to fall in love with a home online. But set reasonable expectations for seeing it in person (those wide-angle lenses can really make a difference) and take the time to explore the neighborhood, day and night. Balance out what you'll need to repair on a fixer vs. choosing something turnkey in your budget range. And think for the long-term, how you'll grow into it vs. what you need right now.

6. Make an Offer. Congrats! You found your perfect home. Now comes the negotiating. Once you make an offer with the help of your agent, you'll have to put down what is called earnest money, to show that you're serious about your offer. This can be anywhere from 1 to 3 percent of the purchase price and goes into an escrow account (and will go toward the purchase of the home at closing). But note: if the deal falls through because of a problem on the seller's end, you get your money back, but if the problem is on your end (because you can't get financing), you may have to go to court to recoup it.

7. Get Financing. You may not get final approval on your loan until right before closing but you'll start the process once an offer is accepted. There's a lot of back and forth here as the lender determines whether you're worth the risk.

8. Order Your Inspections/Appraisal. You'll want to order a home inspection to make sure there are no surprises that will cost you later. This can also help with the negotiation process if there are issues like electrical or plumbing that weren't clear when you made the initial offer. As the buyer, you pay for the inspection and your realtor can help you schedule it.

9. Buy Home Insurance. You'll need to be approved for home insurance in order to finalize the loan approval so start that process ASAP.

10. Close (Yay!). The big day is here! You're officially a homeowner. So proud. On closing day, you'll sign a crazy amount of paperwork and your financing will be approved and ready to go. You'll also score the keys to the house! Before the final day, make sure that you have a certified check or scheduled a wire payment for your down payment and closing costs, you've got your homeowners insurance set up, and you have your ID with you. Congrats and happy decorating!

Photos 1, 2 by HiveBoxx on Unsplash

Photo 3 by Shutterstock

Tag us on your new home shots @BritandCo!

I'm gearing up for a big move this summer, and in addition to finding an apartment, packing up my things, and decorating (my favorite part), there's another important step to add to my moving checklist: updating my address with everyone from my family and friends to magazine subscriptions and my bank.

If you're also preparing for a move, then you'll need to change your address too! Rather than making you scour the internet for ideas (who has time for that when you're moving?), I rounded up 12 of the places you need to change your address so you can focus on packing instead.

Change Your Address At These Places

Work + Money

  • Your Job
    • Not only will your boss need to know if you're moving (especially if you'll be OOO for a few days), but they'll need to update the records for your paycheck.
  • Tax Agencies
    • Definitely let the IRS and your accountant (if you have one) know you're moving so they won't be surprised. You can let the IRS know by adding your new address to your tax return, filling out one of their forms, or writing to them.
  • Bank + Credit Card Company
    • You don't want your card statements going to whoever moves in after you!
  • Financial Institutions
    • Your insurance providers, credit union, retirement accounts, social security (which you can do on your account), loan issuers, and accounts like PayPal and Venmo all need to know when you change your address.

Life

  • Utilities
    • This is an important one because if your electricity, water, gas, cell, internet, and cable don't know you've moved, they can't redirect their services to your new place!
  • DMV
    • Change the address on your driver's license, your vehicle and voter registrations, and your passport to make sure you can travel easily. Just call your DMV (or visit their website) to make sure you have whatever forms and fees your state requires.
  • USPS
    • Let the post office know you'll be moving and they'll be able to forward any mail that's addressed to your old home. The easiest way to change your address with the USPS is to do it on their site!

Fun

  • Subscriptions
    • Magazines, subscription boxes, and newsletters are just a few of the subscriptions to change your address with.
  • Memberships + Donations
    • This includes clubs, charities you work with, and nonprofits you donate to.
  • Retail Sites
    • There's a good chance that if you love online shopping, you saved your address on all your favorite sites. Make sure you update them to get your packages!
  • Streaming Services
    • Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, oh my! Make sure they have your new address on file for your billing statements.
  • Apps
    • Map apps often allow you to save your home address, and while this isn't the most important thing to update, it's still helpful ;).

Subscribe to our email newsletter for more moving tips and let us know where you changed your address on Twitter!

Last year, some of us celebrated the holidays apart from our families for the first time. COVID has brought with it many changes, some of them arguably positive (like increased flexibility to work from home), some difficult (such as the realization of vastly different political and social views between family and friends), and some horrible (obviously, the health implications of a global pandemic). However, for some of us, celebrating the holidays without family members isn't exclusively due to COVID. In addition to so many of us living in different areas than our families of origin, some of us simply don't have close bonds with the people we grew up around. Sometimes, this can cause loneliness.

If you're not close with your family members, the holidays can be a difficult time. This is doubly true if you don't have a close circle of friends to call upon. But make no mistake, if this sounds like your situation, you're not alone — there are thousands of other people going through the same struggles you are. We sat down with Irad Eichler, founder of Circles, a website that connects people who are sharing similar struggles, like heartbreak, grief, or loneliness. Here are some of Eichler's tips for coping — and even thriving! — during the holiday season when you're not planning on spending it with your family, for one reason or another.

Don't Fall For "Perfect Families" On Social Media

Laura Chouette

The first VERY important step to having a joyous holiday season when you're going it alone is to stop believing the narrative that others' family situations are perfect, Eichler says.

"Remember people only post a moment in time, and only the moments when they look their happiest and best."

In addition to the fact that everything you see on social media is curated for the 'gram, it's also important to remember that by focusing on what others have and you lack, you risk failing to see the great things at play in your own life.

"These holiday periods can become a time of focusing on who and what we don't have, rather than who or what we do, and can cause a negative spiral into depressing and dreadful feelings of inadequacy," says Eichler.

Gratitude is the reason for the season, after all. So instead of only seeing the negative, try some gratitude journal prompts to help you focus on what's actually really wonderful about your life right now.

Make An Effort To Deepen New Connections

Joel Muniz

While it may seem like everyone has friends and family to spend time with during the holiday season, that doesn't mean no one is available for deepening a blossoming relationship or new friendship.

"Make a list of people you can or would like to connect with, and try to reach out to at least one of them," advises Eichler.

Reaching out doesn't have to mean a big plan or an hour-long conversation. Even a quick text letting a friendly coworker know you're thinking about them can go a long way toward deepening the relationship and moving it in the direction of closer friendship.

Don't have an acquaintance in mind? Then it's time to make new acquaintances. What's more in line with the Christmas spirit than attending a Meetup or event full of people eager to make new friends?

"Join groups with similar interests to yours, such as hiking, baking, or games. Push your boundaries and be brave - you might find new people who have much in common with you."

Give Back

Priscilla Du Preez

The holiday season is a great time to focus on giving back to your community, and coincidentally, acts of generosity and kindness are known to reduce loneliness and help people feel happier. One study found that knowing a few of your neighbors and doing small acts of kindness for them — such as cheering them up, listening to them, mowing their lawn, providing advice about local business recommendations and job opportunities, and chatting over the fence — was statistically correlated with feeling less lonely and having a lower risk of depression.

Helping out elderly neighbors can be a particularly gratifying way to give back.

"Notice older lonely people in your neighborhood or community who might have no family at all, and offer to help them," says Eichler. "These can become mutually meaningful connections, and help you 'adopt' a grandparent."

Connect With Others Online

Thought Catalog

Finally, use the Internet for its highest and best purpose: to connect people. Whether you're using Meetup to find in-person events, digital forums for having conversations about special interests, or programs like Circle for getting support from others in your situation, the opportunities to create new connections are practically endless.

"There are many interest groups that can be found digitally, where or any person can connect with others in the same life stage, going through the same challenges, or who would like to explore the same interests," Eichler states. "Meaningful connections can be formed easily in these circumstances. The Internet enables us to find and connect to people all over the world who fit this, and to whom we can become more easily attached, as we are able to find people with the exact interests that energize us."

If you're struggling with loneliness, you're not alone. Connect with our digital community of makers and creatives here at Brit+Co by following us on IG and signing up for our newsletter!

This post has been updated.

Zach Bryan and Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia's explosive breakup is everywhere right now. From his seemingly one-sided social media posts to all the bombshell revelations she keeps dropping, it's clear this split is NOT amicable. Both parties are dropping tons of lore, info, and everything in between — including new music?! — right now, so it makes sense if you can't keep up. Luckily, I'm here to help break this breakup down for you! Here's everything you need to know about Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry's relationship...or lack thereof.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

October 22, 2024 – Zach Bryan Announces His Breakup With Brianna Chickenfry

On October 22, 2024, after some recent speculation that Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry split up, Zach took to his Instagram stories. The country star said, "Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with [each other] and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I'll always thank her."

He continued, noting, "I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna's privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too."

To wrap it all up, he closed by apologizing to his fans. He said, "With everything I am and to anyone I let down, I am sorry. I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself."

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Brianna hopped on her own Instagram stories shortly there after. She posted, "Hey guys I'm feeling really blindsided right now. Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I'm ready I'll be back and ready to talk. I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything's always gonna be okay 🫶"

The Brianna got on Youtube next, posting a raw, emotional video about the situation. Sitting on the floor of her bathroom, she opened up as much as she could in the moment about her breakup. She said, "I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up. He didn't text me, he didn't call me. I just woke up to a bunch of texts, like, 'Are you okay?'"

Brianna, with her teary eyes and red face, explained she's been crying for "five days straight." She said, "I'm at the point where it's like, how can you give someone everything and love them so unconditionally, like through stuff that you shouldn't because you just love them and you want them... like you see the good in them?"

The internet personality said that this is all "so embarrassing" and "really, really heartbreaking." She elaborated that the couple broke up on October 21, but wanted to process on her own and "didn't want it to be public."

Much like her Instagram story, she told her audience that she'll come back when she's ready.

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

November 7, 2024 — Brianna Claims Zach's Emotionally Abusive, Wanted $12Mil NDA

Well, it appears this week, Brianna decided she's ready. On Barstool Sports' BFF's Pod November 7, 2024, Brianna gave an inside look at the breakup unlike any other. Not only did she claim Zach was abusive, but she also alleged that he offered her a $12 million NDA to "not talk about the relationship."

After saying it's been the hardest year of her life, she said. "I'm still scared right now because I'm scared of him. My brain's rewired and I'm scared to make him mad and last week, I didn't want to talk about it 'cause I was scared."

Brianna then described the alleged emotional abuse. She noted that everything was cyclical and that he would build her up only to break her back down again. "There was always another excuse as to why he was treating me so poorly and why I'm crying myself to sleep every night, why he's screaming at me," she said. "And then you wake up, it's the apology, it's the 'I'm going to be better like I need you in my life,' but if you've been through this — I don't expect people to understand emotional abuse if you haven't been through it. I hope you never have to go through it but if you've been there you know what I'm talking about."

Not only does Brianna allege she was offered an NDA, but she said that other women that came before her had to sign their own agreements. She declined the offer because she didn't want to "sign away [her] experiences and what [she] went through to protect someone that hurt [her]." She also wanted to share this experience for other women who've suffered something similar.

And when it comes to the logistics of losing out on the famous lifestyle and alleged $12 million? She said, "It was never about the money — I was with the dude because I loved the dude."

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival

November 8, 2024 — Zach Quit Touring Amid Abuse Allegations

On November 8, 2024, Zach posted on Instagram — where he clearly loves to share all his big news — that not only is his new single "High Road" out today, but that he's also ending his tour early. Read his full statement here:

After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mothers gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again

Told her I quit touring because I got accepted to get my masters in Paris next year, I told her I was back in Oklahoma, told her about all my best friends in New York and all the nights we howled with the moon, told her about the immeasurable laughter my band and me have shared these last five years, all the calluses on my finger tips, every tear shed, told her about making it on The Rolling Stone and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister.
I wrote the chorus for this song a month or two back and finished it when I realized I was blessed with all these things.

I figured it was about time I released it.

Thank you guys for listening to ‘This Worlds a Giant’ last night and thank you to all the people who love me; who have truly carried the weight with me.

Seems that all these Quiet Dreams have gotten much too heavy but I’m home now and I’ll hold you through the pain.

High Road is out today and I appreciate all of you"

Looking to stay up-to-date on all your fave celebs? Follow us on Facebook for more!

Discover 83 Amazon products under $30 that are nothing short of pure gold. From stylish fashion finds to the latest beauty trends, these steals offer exceptional value without compromising on quality. We always ask, what's better than the perfect gift? Well, it's the gift that also doesn't break the bank! We're confident you'll find something in here to at least appease a few loved ones this holiday season.

Thanks for reading about our favorite finds from across the internet! FYI: We participate in affiliate programs and may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.