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What can I comfortably afford?

Home » Real Estate » How Much House Can I Afford? » What can I comfortably afford?

To put this question a different way, "What can I realistically afford?" When you are shopping for a house, it is very easy to get swept away by all the fancy, top notch homes in the neighborhood. In all honesty we want all the bells and whistles when it comes to our home, but in reality we can't always afford it. This is when experts recommend taking a hard look at your finances and deciding what you can "comfortably" afford. Are you willing to give up the nice car and nice clothes to have the nicest house? Some people are ready to do just this and that is their choice, but most people want a little bit of both worlds. We want to be able to take vacations, go out to dinner, and still come home to a great house. Those that stretch themselves to the limits to afford a home are called "house poor". We all know someone who is "house poor". They have a beautiful home with a perfect exterior and great landscaping and then you walk through the door to find a practically empty house with the barest of furnishings. Or they have the house and the furnishings, but can't afford to go to McDonalds for ice cream! Being "house poor" can be a very serious matter. There's no doubt that financial strain can cause marital issues, so be sure that before you make any definite decisions you have chosen something that you can comfortably afford.

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