House hunting can be a mission.... but luckily for us we actually never looked for the 3 houses that we've been through - the 'houses came to us'
.
Estate agent called the inlaws, inlaws had a look then called us.
All 3x we were surprised as we were not actually looking, and then just said.. '
We'll buy it'.
We must have been nuts most of the time, but the frenzied activity thereafter was a mission, but all has worked out OK.
The best advice I can give in this regard...
On your Bond/Mortgage, pay 10% more than you have to.
As on a 20/30 year mortgage, you actually end up paying 2x-3x the price of the house. 10% extra will approximately halve your repayment period.
You literally save 10+ years of repayments = another house = Lots of $$$.
All of the 3 houses that we bought, the wife and I threw everything extra into the payments. We only had an old shot TV, no audio deck, 2/3rd hand cars, but we cleared our mortgages within 4 - 5 years. Now we're sitting pretty. The Banks don't like you doing this and will try to discourage you as they make lots of lolly from loans. Show them the 'magic finger'.. it's your money and you can do with it what you like.
