Why we bought a house before we get married

Planning a wedding is a hectic, crazy, and can be an expensive experience.  For many, even thinking about buying a house can be a crazy idea.  However, for me and my fiancé, we decided to jump into the buying process, and we recently closed on a home here in sunny Los Angeles.

We had talked about it ahead of time, and discussed the pros and cons.  But at the end of the day, here is why it was a great idea to buy:

• Forced us to talk about finances: Insider recently reported that “In a 2017 survey conducted by investingapp Acorns, 68 percent of the 3,010 respondents said they’d rather reveal how much they weigh than how much money they have in their savings account.”  We discussed our debt, credit scores, expenses, and income.  It forced us to budget and determine what we can afford.  It was a great exercise for us and helped us in determining what to buy. It also cleared the air about our spending habits and ruled out any surprises.
• It sets us up for kids: By buying now, we can start paying down the mortgage, and when we are ready to have kids, we have the option to refinance for lower payments.  We lock in today’s prices, and lower interest rates.  Once we have kids, our expenses will go up, so by having a better grasp on the mortgage now, it is one less thing to worry about.
• Great practice on compromising: It created a great learning experience for compromising.  This not only includes what house to buy, but also once the remodeling starts.  It is good practice for us.  Some say if you can get through a remodel, you can get through anything!
• Once we are married, we can focus on us: This was one of the biggest drivers.  By the time we get married, the house will be remodeled, our Accessory Dwelling Unit will be rented out, and we can focus on our relationship.  There will be plenty of things to stress about, a house shouldn’t be one of them.

We are excited for the next chapter in our lives and buying the house has been a rewarding experience.  By purchasing before we get married, it puts us in both a better financial, and emotional position for when we tie the knot.