HOUSE HUNTING | buying my first home alone in my 20s

[@SelenaTrevino]

hey fam, welcome to my first-home diaries 💗 so excited to share this new chapter with you all 🏠 comment below which house was your favorite AND why!!

[@Lucie.28]

Selena! Just a few tips that I tell everyone! Don’t think about your dream home, think about it as a step in to your dream home. I saw someone mention a condo, that will be a great investment later on! Your dream home is coming but it’s hardly ever your first!! Think about a place that will build equity in the future. Good luck! And please keep us updated ❤

[@SelenaTrevino]

@@Lucie.28 I agree! I'm def looking for a dream FIRST home, like I hope It has most of my needs but I'm definitely not expecting every single one of my wants!! Especially since my price range is going to be lower with a first home 🫶🏽 thanks for the tip!!

[@tanyabaldwin636]

Loved the last house-spacious and so much light! I NEVER thought about interviewing the neighbors, such a duh moment for me Lol Don't worry girl, you'll find THE ONE!

[@joelyliriano]

Bought my first home last year and it's definitely best to shop around with both a broker and different banks. The one thing I will say that I've learned is that no matter how move-in ready it is, there are always costs that come up with maintenance, like lawn care, A/C/hvac, insect treatments, appliances, and etc. And your gut feeling matters!

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yes I agree!! I mean with new builds you have to buy blinds, appliances, and furniture. With a used house you might still need to buy that too but then on top of that most used houses here need renovations which I don’t want to worry about in my first home, I also would like to have a backyard but I’d rather have a bigger indoor space and no backyard, for a first home atleast. It’s interesting how our needs vs. wants even change as we go through the process 🤪

[@joanneaspires]

So glad you trusted your gut and interviewed the neighbours for the 6th house! Can't wait to watch more of this series! 💞

[@saidahjamila]

Builders literally do not care (in response to the issues with the last house) builders/investors only care about money which is why they built basically directly on a railroad. Its sad. But loved this video and wishing you luck on the rest of your journey to finding your first home!!

[@michellealvarez8160]

Just take your time. It always seems like you’re in a rush with all of your lists and goals. You’re not a failure if you don’t accomplish a certain goal by a certain age or your specific timeline. I didn’t buy my first home until I was 40 and I purchased it cash. And my first home was a townhome. I loved it! Second home was a condo. Both of these are paid off and are rentals now.

[@SelenaTrevino]

I'm not in a rush, I've been saving up for 2 years, doing my research and now that I'm financially ready to buy (saved a down payment, emergency fund & closing costs), now I'm looking to buy :) most people don't wait to purchase cash, and for me that's never been a goal.

[@dianabanda9739]

Hi Selena! Just wanted to say I definitely get your feelings of disappointment related to the last home. I’m in my late 20’s and was in that almost exact same position a few months ago. Found a house within my budget, looked beautiful both inside and out, BUT it was right behind a railroad track. I immediately put in an offer from the excitement, it was accepted, but ended up backing out of the contract a couple days later after researching more regarding living so close to railroad tracks. I definitely think you made the right decision! I ended up putting in a couple of more offers on some homes, some were rejected, ended up backing out of another one that had been accepted (lots of reno was needed), and FINALLY 4 months after beginning the process I’m in my new home! Im definitely glad I took my time in the process. I’m now in a home I love, beautiful inside and out, still within my budget, and I didn’t settle on any of my big ticket items. I wish you luck in your home buying process! Definitely stressful, but just remember to take your time!

[@createdbyriks]

OKAYYY HGTV!!! I love all the transparency in these videos, Selena. Thank you for sharing your homeowner journey! Buying a house is definitely on the list of most stressful times of my life alongside wedding planning so I feeeel you! Looking forward to more house updates 🤪

[@kellymabel3576]

So excited for you!! One thing not many people mention is: get MULTIPLE inspectors! Each will miss something

[@SelenaTrevino]

Ooh yes I've been thinking about this, I need to start looking for some.

[@stefflores]

Don't go for the top of what you qualify for. I would say to make sure you leave room in your budget for all additional expenses like HOA fees, maintenance and upkeep. The range of what you're qualified for doesn't account for any additional costs you might have. I'm sure you probably already know this but thought I'd throw it out there.

[@fionaokeefe1906]

You’re so right! You don’t know what the in home inspection will find and what repairs you may have to do! I think sometimes the eyes are bigger than the budget! Home shopping is so hard though and prices are raised up high for what little house you get! It’s like ok I’m going to buy this home at this high price yet it needs repairs like this home should be Hollywood perfection!

[@SelenaTrevino]

don't worry, I'm not :p yes, I've definitely over thought this at this point. Either way. I will be over paying for 1-3 years and hopefully refi whenever rates go down.

[@tb11212]

Please keep up the house content! I’m the 27 too and still saving for a down payment but it’s so nice to see someone my age going for it too even when the market is crazy. Can’t wait for the next one!

[@joannaadamczewska6125]

As a person who lived for almost 20 years in a family home so close to the railway i can truly tell you that it is not as big struggle as you think. I got so used to it that there was a train coming and I could not even hear that and we are talking about few trains daily 😅, after a while you treat these sounds as normal as noise made by rommates for example. Of course the decision is yours and I am wishing you all the best 🥰

[@SelenaTrevino]

Honestly I’m sure it may not have been that bad in terms of disruption, what really got me was 1. We’ll actually it might have bothered me bc I’m the lightest sleeper ever lol and also what I read in terms of how it affects people with anxiety more (aka me lol) 2. The fact that the neighbors said the vibrations were causing the foundation of their house to shift and they were already seeing cracks in their walls after 6 years (not a good sign for homeowners) and 3. The fact that the resale value would not be great and it would be hard to sell. For example, that house I saw a month ago, and that I pulled my offer from (it’s STILL on the market, and mind you, that house is in a HOT market, where houses don’t lasts more than a couple days… so I definitely think I made the right decision for me.

[@joannaadamczewska6125]

@@SelenaTrevino oh okay now i definitely got your point of view girl! I’ve never heard about how it affects people with anxiety so that’s great that you reflected on all of these things and are aware of, I hope you will find your lovely space soon 💖, will definitely wait for the next episode!

[@SelenaTrevino]

@@joannaadamczewska6125 thank you sm 🥹💗💗💗

[@BUItifulAdventures]

buying a home is so exciting! but i know that disappointing feeling - as you keep going through the process you realize there's so much more to it than what you originally thought 😅 my hubby and i bought our first home out here in happy valley (after literally looking at over 100+ homes in the suburbs of portland). we honestly thought that we would never find a home to fit all our needs, but when we first viewed our current home it was instant love for my hubby (and we both agreed that the neighborhood was great, and the distance it was to restaurants/shopping areas + the freeways, was perfect). we did realize at the end that we had to compromise a bit on our "dream house checklist" as we knew it'd be extremely hard to find THE perfect dream home. but hang in there girl! you'll find that first home and all the waiting will be worth it! ❤

[@MFeliix]

My first home I purchased 2019, before pandemic. I missed out on so many homes. Offers that we would submit we’d get outbid. It was probably house #30 lol but it’s perfect. You’ll feel it when you walk in. It’s a different feeling.

[@Liviaarts]

Bless you! I'm sure the perfect house will find you! I love watching these types of videos and I can't wait for more!!!!!

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you 🥹 yay I’m so excited to Share 💗

[@meggggg]

Yeah I agree with your decision on that house you loved! The parking situation is a total dealbreaker for me! Those garages often don't even properly fit full sized vehicles or trucks and then to have no street parking on top of that is crazy! I actually moved out of my last place due to parking chaos...there were no driveways, no space between houses to park on th street - and they were building a condo across the street which resulted in all their visitors parking in front of our houses. It got so bad I was starting to plan my schedule around it because I knew I'd have to park blocks away if I got home at certain times!! It was not worth the headache 😑

[@azucarmorenita1]

We had to shop for 8 months before we found a house in the neighborhood we wanted. We had fallen in love with a house but got outbid and were devastated. It ended up working out though cuz after reflecting it was not in the neighborhood we wanted and was behind a car dealership next to a super busy street. The house we got we bought for the listed price got some money for closing cost from the owners, on a quite street and close to our work. Things will work out Selina. Just be patient. We also bought the house in the Portland Metro area.

[@notmariavlogs]

buying a home is definitely stressful! i suggest sitting down and being realistic with what you'll use the space for. when my partner and I were home hunting, I really wanted a 3 bedroom home: one for sleeping, one for our shared office, and one as a guest bedroom for when family passed by. i quickly realized that 3 bedrooms was too much space for us because my family doesn't (and hasn't visited). the house we ended up buying has a separate dining room from the kitchen that ended up getting converted into a kitchen because we realized that sharing an office is not ideal for us and we don't even end up using the kitchen table because we're used to eating at our desks instead.

[@SelenaTrevino]

Definitely agree! But trust me when I tell you that by the time I shared this video I had already sat down a dozen times AT LEAST to re-evaluate me needs. This is why I came to the conclusion that, for me, I don’t NEED a back yard. I spend most of my time indoor (WFH, cleaning, cooking, living) than I ever would spend in a backyard. A backyard would just mean more maintenance and would be more so for hosting and for a puppy. But realistically I myself don’t NEED it in a first home. But I definitely need 3 beds. I WFH so I need my room can office and an open room. I always wanted to have a room available for guests and for someone to temporarily rent if I ever want to do that for extra income. But def good advice for 1st time buyers 💗💗

[@kellylee_p9076]

Am gonna love this series! Cant wait to ride along with you Xx

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yay!! I’m so excited and glad you’re excited too 💗

[@edwardleecaliforniausa]

Hi Selena happy Tuesday afternoon and I just wanted to say congratulations on the new home and i loved your vlogs and you are amazing Supporter and I'm proud of you

[@ladychi7618]

Hi Selena, congratulations on the house search, you inspire me so much you just don't know. I don't know why but I Really loved house #2. Maybe because I am extremely introverted and I love small and cozy places 😅😅. Loving the content so far and can't wait for you to find your dream home. Good luck!

[@piwiedmonds3480]

Woohoo good luck on the house hunt I'm getting close myself so can't wait for more of these videos 😃 well done 👍🏼

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yayyy!! Thank you and also how exciting 💗

[@kittychasesquirrels]

The houses in your area are so beautiful and affordable! We're going to start looking in about a month in SoCal and the prices are outrageous but like you its just going to be the right time for us to start looking. Kind of missed the boat on interest rates but we can always refinance later on.

[@MikeeRogers]

How fun and exciting! You should also look at a few condos just so you can compare! Especially since you’re realizing a backyard space might not be as important as you started touring homes. Our first home was a condo and we loved it. We loved being in the city, around restaurants, bars, coffee shops we could walk to. It was the same lifestyle when we were renting except it was ours and we were building equity. A few years later we ended up selling and using all that equity to get in our dream home! But with that said, a home does allow for my freedom, no shared walls, gardens, future renovations etc. But yea, highly recommend looking at condos too so you can get a direct comparison of what your money can get you. Good luck and thanks for taking us along!

[@joshhoman]

Congratulations! One of my subscriptions is in Portland!

[@rachellenale]

I appreciate your thought process as you look at houses. My husband and I bought our house in 2020 and we were first time buyers. Other than hiring an inspector, we really didn’t know what we were doing. We love our house and it’s a quiet neighborhood. I think it’s so smart to interview the neighbors! I wish we would have done that with our first apartment😅

[@clarapinto9410]

I purchased near a railroad, if I would have known how often and loud the train was I would have not purchased, but it has grown on me so far, but I still believe this will not be my forever home.

[@AlgebraNerd06]

Thank you so much for sharing this! Much to keep in mind when I’m in this process. Best of luck to you!!❤

[@simplyellenxo95]

Congrats on getting your first home!!!!

[@mansoor3159]

Yayyy!!! Finally Finally Selena you came with this vlog because I was eagerly eagerly waiting for this vlog you are my inspiration and I wish you have a beautiful day always💫🤗💗

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yayyy I can’t wait for you to watch it, Mansoor! Let me know which house you liked the most 🤪🫶🏽

[@kimswrld5321]

Glad you went with your gut and asked the neighbors great house hunting I thought house #2 the townhouse was beautiful to me 😊😊 good luck with the house hunting ❤❤

[@isabelbeck7]

I am so excited to follow you on this journey!!!!

[@Billy33753]

So excited for you! Day one was my favorite since the kitchen is new

[@SelenaTrevino]

Oooh yes, which house on day one?

[@Billy33753]

@@SelenaTrevino the first one

[@lorrikunda7848]

Congratulations 🎉 Selena all the best I'm só happy for you 😊

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you so much 😭💗

[@Silviluv]

im in the exact same boat, in my late 20s trying to buy my first home all by myself (in NZ), have put the offer in so waiting to hear back from the bank. as scary as it is, i am also very proud of myself that i am possibly able to do this alone. i wish you all the best and may the home meant for you find you with ease

[@asiajones1542]

So excited to see you on this new journey Selena! It really makes you realize how much there is to consider when buying a home😅 but I hope you’re able to find a home that’s perfect for you and meets all your needs!🫶🏾

[@sharmitasahaporshia333]

Please teach us how you prepared for the pre-approval process 😇 So excited for ya ❤

[@vivnell123]

I know it's so stressful, but I'm so excited for you !!!! & I LOVE that you are making this a series 🫶

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you 🥹 it’s so stressful, I am excited to finally be in my home one day haha but also trying my best to enjoy the process

[@marydanessa]

So happy for you. Def enjoyed the second one that was shown

[@rosavazquez9236]

Wow, a young age buying a home. Yes I deafly congratulate 🎉you and hope everything works out for the best you deserve it. I’ve been watching your video for a while now and I like them and I’m going to keep watching them. Oh by the way thank you so much for sharing all this.❤ Good Luck 😊

[@SelenaTrevino]

thank you so much, Rosa

[@Jewela411]

I brought my first home at 27. Many people are buying younger now.

[@elbatrevino8520]

Me siento muy orgullosa de mi niña Hermosa!! Que Dios te continúe bendiciendo y todos tus sueños se conviertan en realidad!! 💛🙏💛🙏💛🙏💛🙏

[@SelenaTrevino]

gracias mami, te amo

[@elbatrevino8520]

Te amo mi muchachita🥹💛🙏💛🙏💛🙏

[@kimberlylove49]

I just randomly came across your page and I was looking at the first house you toured the other day on Zillow and thought it was cute so thought it was hilarious when you said te asusta 🥹😂😂😂

[@nijahlynch1589]

I really enjoyed this video. Can't wait until the next one. Wishing you good luck on your house hunting journey. 😊

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you so much 💗🥹

[@thatgirly823]

so exciting, wishing you the best on this new journey! :)

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you sm 😭💗

[@c.nicole.n]

I’m going to enjoy this series. 😊

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yayyy I'm so glad 💗

[@robyn_southafrica]

7:19 SELENA!!! 🤭🤭🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪 LMAO haha 😹 (sorry sorry lol but "the catfish" was funny 🥲😅😅) Congratulations on this new and exciting journey sis! So glad I'm relatively new here so I'm excited to be experiencing these virtual excitements with you 😃😃 😘😘❤️❤️

[@SelenaTrevino]

HAHAHA RIGHT?! I was shook 😭😂 I had to share!! And thank you so much 💗💗

[@LifeofBokChoy]

I thought your dollar would go a bit further in Oregon, but it still seems so competitive. I hope you find your dream home!

[@SelenaTrevino]

Me too 🥹 well, no I actually knew already the market is hot and only getting more expensive, another reason for the move! As californians and large tech companies continue to move to the Portland metro area, prices continue to rise 😭 but I'm confident I'll find something. 💗🤪

[@esmeraldarodriguez6709]

How exciting Selena! House hunting is soooo much fun, but can definitely be stressful. Keep these videos coming!!! I didn't have a favorite this time around, but that could change on the next episode 🤪😁

[@randitochervlogs]

love seeing the progress and great vlog

[@SelenaTrevino]

More to come!

[@Dulcinea_GenXer]

So excited for you! Look at what the Lord is doing for you 🙌🏽🙏🏽💪🏽 can’t wait to see the house you decide on! 😃 celebrate 🎉 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@mihlondon]

OMG I love the second house ....but I hope you find your dream house soon...s2

[@lulusplannerlifegmz1202]

Girl omg Ill be moving to in month, been here for past 6 years. But rent is going up $ and hubby says time to move. lol im anxious and worried we will not find something on time have 2months till contract ends. So your lucky to invest in home im sure you will find something your comfortable with Selena. Best of luck to you.

[@priscillap7886]

Wow it's amazing those houses within those price ranges!! I recently bought a condo, how I wish I can afford a house though but living in Toronto, houses are minimum 1 million dollars 😭😭😭

[@SelenaTrevino]

Wow I’m sorry that’s hard :(

[@beautyandlyfestyles2405]

Good luck on house hunting

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you 💗

[@Saadysalma]

Build your own house Selena! If that is affordable. Omg, I'd love to build my own 😍✨

[@SelenaTrevino]

That would be amazing, but unfortunately I could not see myself doing that for a first home. Maybe for the forever home when I’m ready to start a family or grow a family, but that’s just too much to add to my plate when buying by myself 😅

[@JntGrc]

Weird thing to consider. Will you hear your neighbors a/c unit when it kicks on and will it shake/annoy you? Ran into that weird thing when I was lookin.

[@kidlettie]

Not related but I hope you and your family are safe. I’ve read that there’s many fires in oregon right now

[@SelenaTrevino]

So far so good, it hasn't reached the Portland metro area as of yet 💗

[@jennifergraham9679]

you'll find your house, it may take a little longer,all the best.

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you so much!! Yes I believe I will 🫶🏽

[@TheQUBANQT]

Good luck

[@jojoalvarado7552]

Hi Selena! Forgive me if this is too invasive or if you’ve already answered this- but did David move to Oregon as well or are you doing long distance?

[@SelenaTrevino]

he did move to oregon! and I am buying this house alone since I've been preparing and saving up alone for 2 years, and he fully supports me in accomplishing this goal :)

[@jojoalvarado7552]

@@SelenaTrevino that’s amazing! I am so happy for you.

[@carlosdeleon6472]

If you ever ever buy a home in an HOA community you will get nothing but headaches! HOA is like having a landlord as a homeowner. They can raise fees without you not having much to say . Just don’t buy into an HOA

[@SelenaTrevino]

Not gonna lie, for new homes I might not have much of a choice but I think every HOA is very different! For example HOAs on townhomes are WAY more expensive bc they cover more but also they’re the ones that tend to inflate a ton! For detached homes HOAS usually only cover landscaping so there’s not much they can inflate in price for besides water costs and materials. If that makes sense 🤪 usually HOAs jack up prices to make a change in the community like new roofs or pint jobs, but if that’s not covered by the HOA, then you don’t have to worry about that happening, which is why Townhomes can end up costing more.

[@anderson2828]

I have an HOA and only pay $105 a month, been the same price last 5 years and they pay for all external maintenance of the home and yard work, snow removal, driveways etc. Some HOA are worth it, some arent

[@SelenaTrevino]

@@anderson2828 exactly! It definitely depends, just gotta do our research. But also, unless you buy old, most horns have HOAs now 😭

[@kittychasesquirrels]

Depends on the HOA board. Some are expensive and give all the owners headaches and don't do anything productive. Some are awesome and really make sure every penny is used towards taking care of and beautifying the complex. It really just depends.

[@SelenaTrevino]

@@kittychasesquirrelstrue! But even HOA boards and members change 😭

[@lilsheba1]

The problem is there is no way to even save for a down payment, and homes out here cost at least half a million dollars on average. And the payments, forget it. How can anyone afford a damn house anymore?

[@SelenaTrevino]

I wouldn’t say there is “no way”… yes it’s HARD and it will take work and discipline, but it’s definitely possible. I will say, I was careful to save most money I made from my side hustles. So maybe find a side hustle or business that you want to build? And save that money!! The thing is, even without KZbin if I had started saving a couple years ago, putting aside $500/ month from doing door dash or grub hub, or Lyft, or some other side hustle, it would also be possible to have enough saved to buy a house. If you have this as a goal, you CAN find a way to make it happen, it’s not impossible. Is it easy? Heck no… and it feels unfair bc it was so much “easier”for previous generations (price wise), but then again 100+ years ago people of color and Black folx weren’t even allowed to own homes, so it’s definitely “easier” to buy for some of us nowadays than it was before. And this feels like such a HUGE opportunity, to even be able to look forward to or save $$ to buy and eventually own a home.

[@fiona7591]

Where can you find a list of mortgage brokers? Also can you tell us which lender you said you will probably go with? This is Portland?

[@SelenaTrevino]

You have to do research or get recommendations from friends/family! I don’t feel comfortable sharing that information now, atleast until the whole process is said and done. But I found a local broker by doing a simple google search and then reading up on reviews before messaging them. Plus, like I said, you want one mortgage broker, one credit union and one big bank

[@Tylynnheaven]

Woah what do you use to film?

[@HighFaeofWhiteWine]

My husband and I looked at house #5 and didn’t like the area around too much 😢

[@lindadrinks-johnson1904]

Make sure you get a real estate lawyer before signing* papers and take to closing. Good luck

[@anderson2828]

Best first home for a single person is a new townhome

[@SelenaTrevino]

Interesting, I don't agree, I don't disagree, I just think it depends on your location, prices, wants/needs etc. Nowadays they make detached houses that are like townhomes (low maintenance) but you also don't have to share a wall with your neighbors!

[@fiona7591]

Can you afford the huge interest rates ???

[@SelenaTrevino]

Can anyone? Lol

[@Kbydfrsghusy]

Affluent neighborhoods = higher resale for the future

[@SelenaTrevino]

Yeah but it wasn't worth it for that townhome, they're going to have trouble selling it with the $350+ HOA fee 🤪

[@manonamission2000]

worst time to buy a home... high interest rates, low valuations, why now?

[@SelenaTrevino]

Because now I am financially ready. I've said this before and I'll say it again the best time to buy is when you're financially ready. I have my emergency savings, enough for the down+closing costs, and prices are only going up. The best time to buy is when you're ready. I didn't want to wait for rates to go down, if/when rates go down, it's only going to make buying a house even harder, more competitive, and drive up prices even more. (in my area, specifically, since it's only grown in development and price over the years)

[@mrsnewyork21]

@selena I love this answer, at the end of the day you have to do with best for you!

[@0LightArrow0]

Just curious why you don't buy a house with your boyfriend?

[@SelenaTrevino]

I would never buy a house with someone I’m not married to! Plus financially it makes sense to buy separately. That way he would still qualify as a first time homebuyer whenever he’s ready to buy!

[@0LightArrow0]

@@SelenaTrevino thanks for replying :) / good luck with house hunting!

[@gisellexmama]

Love love love this and can’t wait to see more of this series! 🤍📸 you will find the house you love, don’t settle!! 🎉

[@SelenaTrevino]

Thank you 😭💗 I agree, I won’t settle, but in this market I’ll definitely have to compromise! I knew that going in though, so it’s ok 😅

[@gisellexmama]

@@SelenaTrevino one thing I was told was to look at the foundation and build, not necessarily the little things like the color of the cabinets bc those you can always upgrade and fix over time. But, for example, if you don’t like the flooring being uneven which you mentioned, don’t do it! Or, if the toilet is in one part of the bathroom or too close to the sink or something than don’t settle bc the plumbing to change it to another part is costly $$$$ - which I think your mindset with it all is right there. 🫶🏾

[@SelenaTrevino]

@@gisellexmamaooo o yes that's a very good point 🫶🏽

[@crazyfurbabieslady]

😻😻😻😻

[@castlenani]

Why aren't you buying with your bf?

[@kittychasesquirrels]

Its generally not a good financial choice to co-sign with someone if you aren't legally married.

[@trin303]

Girl im over here stressin with you🫢😂😂 idk why but this kinda gives me a little hope for my future in terms of house buying.. (even tho im only 20, not even graduated from college yet, and insanely broke lol) the housing market is just so expensive and so scary nowadays, and I get so overwhelmed & anxious just thinking about it, but I appreciate you sharing these things with us because it makes these "big, scary adult things" a little less "big and scary" 😅💗💗