One of the most popular questions we get asked when sitting down with first-time home buyers is, “How much can I afford?” which essentially is the question, “How much will my monthly payment be?” Many people live in terms of monthly payments when it comes to things such as homes, cars, and so on, which means understanding the amount of home you can afford in terms of a monthly payment is very common.

One thing we try to remind buyers when meeting with them is not just to consider how much they can afford to pay monthly for their new home, but how their current lifestyle factors into buying a home.

It’s only normal to be accustomed to living a certain way, whether you’re big on travel, going out to eat, or planning for retirement. When buying a home, there are often costs associated with home ownership that you may not have considered when first setting your home buying budget. Take those costs, plus your monthly mortgage payment, and there could be very little wiggle room left for anything else. That is if you don’t plan ahead.

Whether you're a home buyer with kids—looking to find the ideal home with the best schools for your children to attend—or not, buying a home in an area that boasts good schools can still be very beneficial. 

Living in a good school district doesn’t just bring great teachers and better test scores, it can also help to ensure better home values and a faster resale when you're ready to make a move.

Many home buyers are prepared to sacrifice certain home features or amenities to ensure their children attend the right schools. According to Realtor.com, one out of every five home buyers would give up a bedroom or a garage for a better school, and one out of every three would purchase a smaller home to end up in the right area.

Who doesn't want to live, work, and play all in one place? 

With only so many hours in a day, and so many tasks to accomplish, there are many benefits that come with this concept, and we're sharing five reasons why you should live ten minutes or less from where you work along with one of our favorite new communities that makes this possible.

Cut down on commute time.

Not only will you drastically cut down on commute time if you live just ten minutes (or less) from work, but you'll add valuable time to your day—time that can be spent in many different ways. You could add the hours on to your work day, allowing you to get more work done than before. Or, you could add the hours on to your personal life, allowing you to spend more time with family, friends, or on hobbies.