What made you want to buy?

L: I got my dream job in Boston and I knew that I wanted to stay for the long-term. It was the right time to put down roots.

What did you know or not know about buying a home before taking Homebuying 101?

L: I didn’t know anything, literally, not even the basics. I had been renting most of my life. Taking the class was anxiety driven but it was calming to have the basics laid out.

What was your experience taking Homebuying 101?

L: The class was clear and well-organized with enough time for questions, which is hard to do because people come with different perspectives and experiences and want to do different things. The class helped me get serious about the process.

Why did you decide to participate in Homeownership Counseling?

L: The moment I started looking into the process it was not just something abstract. I started asking the bank, asking the realtor, all these specific questions started to come up and they had been addressed in class, but I needed to narrow it down to my specific circumstance. With this salary how much can I afford? With these savings, what is a good down payment? What is a good rate in my particular situation? Counseling was a way of specifying all the insight I got in the course, which was useful.

How was it going through the home purchase process?

L: I have friends that told me “you came to Boston and you rocked the Boston housing market” because I bought the first place I saw. I put an offer in and it got accepted. So it was a pretty linear and clean process. However, it was so linear because I came to the table prepared for it. I knew my price, what I wanted in terms of lifestyle, and I had a Realtor recommended. All the pieces were in place. All the previous info I got took away the anxiety of jumping into the pool and left me very prepared to go into the process. It took the anxiety away.

How was working with your homebuying team?

L: Everything was very clean. The Realtor was recommended by a friend, who also referred an attorney and insurance agent. The process was very streamlined but took place right as the pandemic was happening. I saw the house for the first time right as COVID started. Then the whole process exploded and we did everything online – the documentation, the emails, except for the inspection everything went online. And I had to go to the office for the closing.

How did it feel to complete the purchase?

L: It feels amazing. I’m aware that the house is not mine, it’s the banks. But on the whole it feels great. I’m very happy with the place, it’s the right place for me. It was smooth because it was the right moment in life for me to buy, and I didn’t rush. All those elements allowed me to feel like it was the right decision. The only troubling thing was the appearance of COVID, I thought the market was going to be very unstable. But then I thought, I’m not buying a house for speculation purposes, I’m buying a house to make it a home. This is the right time and I need a home. And I’ve made a home out of it!