ou may be ready for the lifestyle of a home owner and have enough money for a purchase, but can you afford the house that you really want? How much are you willing to compromise from your ideal to buy a house now?

The lifestyle hit
For most renters, buying a house means moving to a smaller house and perhaps to a cheaper neighborhood. You will almost certainly take a lifestyle hit. The life of a renter can be quite extravagant, and you may find that it will be hard to take pride in the bungalow that you will be able to buy.

Trading up
If you can't afford the house you want, you should consider whether buying a house now will allow you to trade up later.
It may be that your dream home is your next home. How much can you afford to spend on the right home?