Ah, God.
Hello, my name is David, and I'm a project manager.
Hi, I'm Natasha, and I'm a radiologist.
David: And we've been best friends for 15 years.
I just want to say thank you so much
for taking the time to answer these questions
that I have about purchasing a home.
It means so much to me, thank you.
Natasha: Of course, I love you guys.
We have a tradition, every Thursday night
we do trivia night with our significant others.
I bring my husband, Josh, and you bring your wife, Steph.
David: Who carries our team.
Natasha: Yes, we,
David: You guys are really good.
How long was the entire home-purchasing process for you?
Natasha: From when we went to the open house,
put an offer, to when we closed
took about four months.
David: Four months, wow.
Natasha: Yeah. David: Wow.
We went to a cute restaurant around the corner,
and I was like,
[gasps]
the brunches I could have!
And I was just, I have to live here!
David: That's what convinced you?
Natasha: I was like, all the brunches!
David: How difficult was it to say to yourself,
OK, this is what we can afford?
Natasha: Think about your monthly cost.
You know, if you have a certain mortgage,
you want to think about what you monthly have,
that check you have to write every month.
David: Great. Natasha: Yeah.
There you go, writing checks once a month,
writing it down.
And what your lifestyle is like.
So, do the realities of, yeah, I go out to eat,
I buy coffee, I like to go out to dinner.
These are things that contribute to my overall happiness,
and will I not be able to do these things
if I have a crazy mortgage that I really can't afford?
So just be honest with yourself
with what you really can afford
and what you really can do without.
David: So, during that whole year, what was
the hardest thing that you and Josh went through?
Natasha: Honestly, it was just the anxiety
and the emotional journey of being like,
OK, we're going to make the biggest purchase of our lives,
that was a big part, and also kind of just knowing
the steps involved to do that.
Like, one of the things we didn't know is
you have to get a pre-approval
before you go into looking for places,
before anybody kind of takes you seriously.
David: Pre-approval in the sense of, you know,
having all your paperwork ready?
Natasha: So, they kind of tell you what you can spend
before you spend it.
So, you know, you have a guideline so you're not
buying completely out of your price range.
So, the bank is gonna basically tell you
this is how much money you could get a mortgage for.
David: Oh.
Natasha: Yeah.
David: Now, what's all the paperwork
that we're gonna need before...
Natasha: Ho, there's a lot of paperwork.
David: Oh, there is?
Natasha: OMG.
We set up an email filter
for everything that was kind of coming in that,
he's really taking notes, wow.
David: Yes, I gotta know!
[laughs]
Natasha: We set up an email filter
so everything that was coming
bank-related, kind of home-related,
kind of was flagged and kept in this special folder.
There is a lot of paperwork,
but the banks make it really, really easy for you.
There's always someone available to help guide you with it.
David: Oh, I'm all out of paper.
Got any advice for me?
Natasha: When you're doing the process,
it's gonna feel like a lot,
but just stay calm, stay grounded, and have faith
that there will be a good place for you.
Because there will be.
David: To see this place that you and your husband have,
for me, it's just motivating.