My advice goes along a different route: Why are you planning on buying with your girlfriend? Buying a home is a very very long term investment. DO NOT BUY WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!!!! It’s a waste of time and if you buy right now…It’s going to be a big waste of a whole lot of money. I know you guys are in love right now. But you are only 24 years old and I can guarantee that the way you look at life is gonna change in 5 years and your relationship will change too. I’m pretty sure everything is awesome now. But do you know that 2 out of 3 marriages in Southern California end up in a divorce. That is HUGE. And you aren’t even yet ready to jump into that boat yet either, But you’re ready to buy a home together??? But think what’s going to happen on the high possibility when you break up 2 or 3 years down the road. Imagine what would happen if you bought a home now and after your home depreciates 25% in 3 years. You think you guys are gonna keep that house. While she kicked you out and you have to crash at a friends place…Hell Nooo..You have to sell it and gonna sell it for a big fat loss.
So just live at your in-laws. I’m assuming you aren’t paying rent…You know how many of us would kill to live rent free and how much money we’d save not paying rent. You have it pretty good. So save up your money so you can purchase a home on your own and worry more about trying to get that FICO score up. And wait for 3 years or so and you’ll be very pleasantly surprised on how prices on homes are a lot more affordable compared to now.
