Category: Real Estate

It’s no secret, weddings are expensive! From the minute she gets that diamond on her finger, a bride-to-be will spend many months planning her prefect wedding. And after its all over, the newlyweds realize they spent their entire engagement anticipating that big day and not the part that truly matters, the happily ever after—their marriage.

And what is an essential part to a good marriage? A happy home! 

We live in a time where so many couples are living together before marriage, it’s easy to overlook the direct connection between starting a life with you significant other and buying your first home together. Once you’ve settled in your forever relationship; why not establish some roots together? 

Sure, house hunting and thinking about mortgages and finances are stressful. Let alone, buying a house and planning a wedding at the same time can be extremely overwhelming. No matter which phase you are in with your relationship, I have assisted couples that are newly engaged to newly married. I’m here to tell you there are so many perks to embarking on homeownership at the start of a marriage. 

Starting the house hunting process while simultaneously planning your big day is a great indicator of what types of items you’ll want to include in the wedding registry. You’ll know the style you want, the type of storage space you’ll have available and most likely you’ll pick items you actually need or use. They say two is better than one, so if you’re currently renting based on your own individual income, chances are with your partner’s added income, you’ll be able to afford a decent home. You could use the eliminated rent payment to put towards a down payment or add it to your wedding budget. 

Buying a house is a potential long-term investment that is going to need to satisfy both of your checklists. While a groom may not care about the wedding planning details, he will definitely be more in tuned when looking for a home.  With the lengthy process of house shopping, you’ll get to spend quality time with your fiancé away from the overwhelming details of the wedding. That is why your wedding planner will be a lifesaver to help you balance all the tasks and preparations required for a smooth wedding day. It’s a celebration you’ll both should enjoy!

When buying a home, you want to work with a mortgage professional that is going to have your best interests at heart. Financially, it can be frightening: the down payment, the interest rate, the monthly mortgage, etc. However, a loan officer who excels at his/her job is going to introduce you to a program that fits your needs. There are low down payment and first-time homebuyers programs and ways to budget and accommodate both your wedding and new home expenses. It’s a common misconception that a large down payment is required to be a homeowner. 

Keep in mind, you are technically building credit by paying your rent each month, in reality it’s just a check you’re handing over to your landlord. Buying a home is something that will benefit your future. It’s an investment and building equity. It’s a place to call your own, where you don’t answer to a landlord, feel free to paint white walls, no more pet policies! Having a home will allow you to settle into your own style. 

To sum it up, buying a home does not have to be more expensive than renting. Therefore, it shouldn’t take away from budgeting you have set our for your wedding. It is financially possible to have the wedding and the house of your dreams! Contact me to learn more about how I can help you with both your wedding planning and home buying needs—I am your Wedding Realtor!  

XO, 

Sobi Qazi 

Step 1: 

Choose Sobi Qazi, Realtor in the home-buying process so you feel comfortable working with a professional on what will likely be the largest financial decision of your life. Sobi is flexible to communicate with, has your best interest at heart, and puts you first.  

Step 2: 

Find a Lender. As your trusted advocate, Sobi will recommend lenders that she has had experience working with and those who are competitive on rates, communicative, and available in evenings or weekends. 

Step 3: 

Clean up your credit. Now that you have a great lender, you can ask for guidance on any credit score issues you may be facing-small or large problems. The lender can provide guidance to help repair your situation and make sure you’ll be approved for a loan. 

Step 4: 

Apply for mortgage pre-approval. A lender will help you determine exactly what you can afford and, therefore, which houses you should be considering. To arrive at a purchase price, you’ll factor in expenses like homeowner’s insurance, association dues, and utilities to make sure you can comfortably make your mortgage payments. The lender will then identify the total amount of money to lend you. 

Step 5: 

Create a home wish list. Start your search with Sobi Qazi, Realtor to find your ideal home. Let Sobi know your few “musts” as well as “wants’ you’d ultimately be willing to compromise on. This will lead into scheduling tours and narrowing down your top options for your new home. 

Step 6: 

If you like, be sure to put an offer on it! Sobi will walk you through the steps required to make an offer on a home. Your offer will likely include earnest money that will apply toward your down payment on the home and may include contingencies such as getting a home inspector. 

Step 7: 

Get your final mortgage approval. Once your offer to purchase is accepted, you’ll work with your lender to get final approval for your home purchase by the date specified for the closing. Your lender will update you on your appraisal.

Step 8: 

Do your due diligence during the Option Period. Obtain homeowners insurance. Complete house inspection. Have your title commitment and appraisal and flood certification ordered. If there are any hidden problems on your walk-throughs, Sobi will assist in negotiating with the current owner to fix them or take the cost of repair off the closing costs. 

Step 9: 

Once all of the above steps are completed, you’ll be on your way to the closing table. Along with an attorney or settlement agent, and Sobi Qazi, Realtor by your side at the end to finish every transaction. Plan to sign a ton of paperwork, this is when the deed to the home is transferred from the seller to the buyer. 

Step 10: Congratulations, enjoy your new home! After the closing, make three copies of your important documents. Store the originals in a safe-deposit box. You may need to change the locks, update all keypad codes and schedule a deep cleaning. Visit your local schools and be sure to be social with your new neighbors! 

Congrats! So he put a ring on it, now what’s next? Saying “I do” or “closed?”

It’s possible to do both. As a couple, this will be the most emotional and largest financial decision you’ll make. It’s time consuming and having an experienced expert by your side to help you plan and budget accordingly will make the process easier. I am your wedding realtor! I am a certified and an award-winning wedding and event planner as well as a certified and licensed real estate agent with earned certification and designations to be the most knowledgeable to first-time home buyers, knowing the ins and outs to new home construction and a luxury home specialist.

Before you get excited and start going through endless pinterest photos, listings of homes, wedding magazine and visiting open houses, lets make sure you do your homework first. With my wedding planning and real estate services, I like to start off with a detailed consultation to discuss how we will balance both and make a brief timeline to have a pace to follow on all the tasks required. Keep in mind that it can take longer to find your perfect home than you think. There are many moving parts in both so timing is everything. We also begin with the big part-finance. I suggest a list of lenders to get in touch with to discuss your credit history and determine a budget of your home. Check out my next blog that will discuss the 10 simple steps to follow! We will tour your top narrowed down selections to make sure we find the perfect home you fall in love with. Lastly, while planning a wedding and buying a home, I highly recommend having two accounts to not mix up your funds.

Once you hire me, I will create an outline of the process from wedding planning to home buying and assist you step by step. I provide useful checklists to keep you on track and you can always ask me any questions along the way. We are a full-service company focusing on your wedding and real estate needs from start to finish. Let’s find your happy place together!

XO, Sobi Qazi