Buying a house for the first time can be such an overwhelming, confusing process — it’s hard to know where to even begin! I’m answering all your FAQ’s here, like how much of a deposit we put down, how to figure out your home-buying budget, what to know about the real estate process, unexpected costs, getting a mortgage pre-approval, the pros and cons of renting versus owning, and so much more.

Hilariously enough, I can’t believe I’m writing this and that we actually did it. We closed on the house TODAY!

I think in the blur of the last 2 years of the housing market frenzy that came with the way the panini changed a lot of our priorities and day-to-day needs, it seemed like a “we bought a house!” announcement was popping up on my Instagram feed every other day— from IRL friends, to influencers, it felt ubiquitous, and also a bit difficult to watch when we were sharing 600 sq ft of space and WFH 24/7.