In the first quarter of this year alone, the housing market saw as much as a 10% increase in rent rates as recorded by single-family households; according to Wally Charnoff at RentRange.

For most people, one of the biggest goals in their life is to be a homeowner. Owning a home is a big step, and it may take years for many people to accomplish it. It may seem intimidating, but if you know more about the process, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some things you should know about buying your first home.

Owning a home is serious business. And it's not for everyone. Making the decision whether to keep renting or take the plunge and buy takes careful consideration. What factors should you look at when making your decision? Let's take an honest look at the rent vs. buy debate when it comes to your living arrangements.  

If you’ve read any reports about millennials’ housing habits over the past few years, you’ve probably seen one common generalization: if they’re not staying at their parents’ homes, millennials are mostly staying in “rent” mode, putting off owning a property for longer than any previous generation has. And the thing about renting is that it’s supposed to be temporary. Eventually, you move out, and when that happens, the landlord will likely expect everything to be as it was on your first day. Of course, since millennials have a particular lifestyle preference, it’s natural for them to want to put in some decorative touches during their stay.  Maybe you’re not a millennial, but you don’t have to be a member of Generation Y to know that the struggle is real. Reinventing your rental is a unique challenge of creativity. You have to make your space speak for you without making any permanent changes. With that said, read this renters’ guide to redecorating your space and you may get some much-needed inspiration. 

So your date moves to your house where you poor wine, turn on music and settle in to get to know your date a little better. Sounds perfect, until mom shows up and steals your mojo. Next thing you know she's telling stories about how cute you were as a kid. Even the Jedi mind trick can't get her to go away. You could avoid this Renters Nightmare by getting your own house. After all, you're 35 years old. It's time to move out of mom's house and get into your first home.

If you've been in an apartment (or you're living in one now) the chances are very high that you have an odd neighbor. Maybe you even have an awkward neighbor. It's one of the things that makes for a great story someday when you can say, "One time I had this neighbor..." But for now, that awkward or odd neighbor just might be driving you nuts.