Buying a house or condo is the most important financial decision that most of us will ever make. It takes a special degree of commitment, dedication, savings, financial expertise … and luck … to reach that level of achievement. Unfortunately, only about 64 percent of American families currently own homes. First-time home owners have a whole new list of things to deal with — mortgage payments, property taxes, home insurance, yard work, and who knows what else! Owning a home is not for everyone, but for many people, it is a lifelong dream. When people buy their first house, they are typically starting with a blank interior canvas. Their goal is to “make a house a home.”
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