Ep. 187 – Interview & Balancing Saving and Paying off debt to find IMMEDIATE PEACE 

 June 9, 2023

Shownotes:

It might seem daunting, but, yes, you can purchase a home while you’re in graduate school. Even though you’re stressed about money and depending on your credit card, there are ways you can organize your finances to prepare for this additional big achievement. Today, David is talking with Kendall who achieved her doctorate in psychology AND managed to purchase her first home amidst it all!

Here are some topics from today’s conversation:

  • Yes, it’s possible to over-research
  • Paying off debt while saving for a house
  • How a credit line increase can help your score
  • Knowing your area to win your home

Episode Highlights:

[02:22] Let Your Realtor Work Their Magic

As an academic, it was natural for Kendall to sit down and research as much as she could about buying a home. From podcasts to news articles, she surfed the web for any information that could help her. But, she found out that, in reality, all she needed to do was get in touch with a real lender and look at real numbers to realize it was possible. After trying to take care of everything by herself, she realized that she was trying to do someone else’s job. Instead of over-researching and trying to figure everything out on her own, she needed to reach out for help to really get things moving.

[08:30] The Balance of Saving and Paying Off Debt

There’s no doubt that saving money while also paying off debt is a tough balance. Lenders are typically looking for a certain debt-to-income ratio, but, as Kendall found out, houses are more expensive these days so the traditional ratio isn’t always the end-all-be-all. She and her husband tried to execute the snowball effect, but found that it didn’t impact their credit score the way they wanted it to. So, how did they hack it? They asked for a credit line increase and it significantly helped boost their credit score!

I felt silly realizing how much time Id spent researching when I couldve just asked somebody for help
I felt silly realizing how much time I’d spent researching when I could’ve just asked somebody for help.

[17:50] Know What You Want

Kendall and her husband knew that they wanted to be ready for the spring/summer buying season, so they planned their finances so they could hit the ground running. They made an offer on their first house, but it fell through and it was pretty emotional for them. But, it ended up being for the best because a house they loved cropped up in a neighborhood that they knew they loved, and put an offer in immediately. They knew that this was the right house and it allowed them to go all in and really be committed to winning their dream home.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Ep 232 – Interview With Self Proclaimed “Not Privileged” First-Time Home Buyers
Ep. 231 – NAR Lawsuit – The New Rules For Real Estate And How To Buy A Home – PART 2
Ep. 194 – Interview – Making the Impossible Purchase Possible
Ep. 193 – Interview – Travel or Buy Your First Home? 4 Years Later, He Did BOTH!