Buying a Home

Moments That Matter

Buying a home is an exciting time for you and your loved ones and it can also be a great investment.

While shopping, you’ll have many considerations such as location, type, amenities, schools, local taxes, commuting time, and more.

Beyond the logistics, try to visualize yourselves in each home. Is there enough room to work and relax? Is it move-in ready or will you need to make upgrades? Will you need to install a security system? Take all your family’s needs into account before making your final decision.

Things to Consider

Beyond the initial cost of moving, you’ll want to estimate ongoing monthly costs before buying. Key items for your budget include:

  • Mortgage

  • Taxes

  • Insurance

  • Utilities

  • Loans/Credit cards  

  • Transportation

  • Food/Entertainment

  • Child & pet care

  • Gift/Donations

  • Emergency fund

You’ll also want to have a plan to address unexpected events which would have a devastating impact on your finances, including:

  • Loss of income due to disability, serious illness or death (Disability & Life Insurance)

  • Liability for accidents in your home or for amenities such as a pool, trampoline, boat, or pet (Homeowners & Umbrella Insurance)

  • Liability for auto accidents that put your home and income at risk (Umbrella)

  • Identity theft through cyber threats and new social media exposures (Identity Theft Protection)

Key takeaways

With all the activity surrounding buying your home, it may be difficult to even think about those “what ifs.” Enjoy the homebuying journey, but don’t forget to plan for the unexpected, too. It could make a world of difference to you, your family, and your finances down the road.

Plans that might help you

Planning for the next step

To assist you on your homebuying and planning journey, we’ve put together a number of resources, tools and tips to help guide you. We hope you take advantage of them and please reach out for any assistance you may need. We’re here to help you make the best of this exciting milestone. Enjoy!

Resources that might help you

Moments That Matter