I cannot deny that I am the crazy one in our relationship. I over-think everything, worry about every tiny detail and panic when there is absolutely no reason to. And it never fails that Brian comes to the rescue in calming me down. Unfortunately, house hunting has brought on a whole new level of worry. Will we be able to afford a mortgage? Will the bank pre-approve us? Will we ever find a home that meets our needs within our budget? Will sellers (and the bank) take an unmarried pair of 23-year-olds seriously? The list could go on and on.
In my mind, I suppose I would just prefer to be pessimistic and be pleasantly surprised, rather than be overly optimistic and then disappointed. Whereas Brian takes the much more normal and sane route of not worrying until we have to.
My biggest fear in this whole process is dealing with the bank. In my short banking history, I am either looking at a meager checking account, even more meager savings, a growing credit card or the impending student loans (which I start paying back in November). None of these things seems to lead directly towards bank pre-approval.
I have been trying to calm myself down by telling myself that almost everyone buying a home these days has student loans and that we are actually in a great place as we are both working full time, salaried jobs. But that doesn’t always stop the worried half of my personality from coming through.
Fortunately for Brian, Chase Bank has really calmed me down. I know this sounds like a plug, but it isn’t! We decided that we are going to make an appointment with them next week to get the financial end of this process moving. Being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, I went online to get as much information as I can to make the appointment more effective. Brian calls me crazy, I call myself organized and effective (although he is probably right).
Anyway, Chase’s Web site was organized and easy to navigate, plus they had a great printable planning guide that covered everything from planning the type of house we need to our continued relationship with the bank after closing. Although it overwhelmed me at first, I think seeing each step written out in front of me has really helped me prepare for this process. I am learning all about fixed versus adjustable rate mortgages, the importance of pre-approval and what my rights are as a homebuyer. There was even a homebuyer’s checklist that suggested looking into things such as wiring and insulation types- things I would never even think to consider.
At this point I can only hope that the loan officer we end up with is as helpful and thorough as the information provided online. It will take someone pretty special to deal with my millions of questions and anxiousness over getting the loan. Hopefully once we are pre-approved, I can settle down and really enjoy this process- I am sure Brian will be relieved!
