Buying your first home can be exciting and amazing, and scary. But knowing the common mistakes of first-time buyers will ensure you don’t make the same ones, and can help make the transition to “New Home Owner!” that much smoother.

1) Spending Too Much

It’s important to be realistic about what you can afford. The final sale price isn’t the only cost to take into account when owning a home. Houses come with plenty of bills like heating and property taxes, future renovations and occasional unforeseen costs like burst pipes or city trees needing to be trimmed.

What you can do about it: Take a close look at your finances. Be aware of your current fixed costs and always leave some breathing room. Ask the homeowners what they spend in a year on their bills so there aren’t any surprises. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has plenty of useful online budget calculators to help. As a general rule your monthly housing costs (mortgage, property tax and heating expenses) should be no more than 32% of your gross monthly income.

2) Spending Too Little

Yes, this can also be a mistake! If you spend too little on a home that you’ll outgrow quickly, you’ll incur the expense of moving (which can be quite pricey) perhaps before you need to.

What you can do about it: Think ahead. Are you planning on starting a family soon? Will you outgrow the house? Perhaps stretching your money a little bit to stay in a house for longer is a more sound financial decision.

3) Buying With Your Heart

Sure the house is gorgeous, fully renovated and painted your favourite shade of cream and has an ensuite bathroom for every bedroom. But it’s on a busy road and you have three young kids and two cats who like to run outside.

What you can do about it: Be smart! Visit the house at least twice (you’d be surprised at how your opinion can change on a second and third visit) and think critically. Go through every aspect of the house, every room, every floor, its location and neighbourhood and really try to picture yourselves in the house for years down the road.

4) Missing Hidden Closing Costs

The final sale price of the house isn’t the only cost of buying a home. There are many “closing costs” that should be taken into account when deciding what price range you can afford. Your realtor’s commissions, lawyer fees, transfer taxes and moving costs can all add up.

What you can do about it: Closing costs can be anywhere from 1.5-4% of the final sale price, so be aware and take this into account when determining your budget.

5) Not Doing Your Research

Blindly buying a home can be a big mistake. Whether you’re paying too much attention to your realtor and family “who just LOVE the place!” or are feeling the pressure to make a quick buy, moving into a house that hasn’t been thoroughly vetted can be a big, expensive, regretful mistake.

What you can do about it: Do your research! And do it first-hand. No realtor or family member can know exactly what you want more than you. Spend a day walking the neighborhood, learn about your neighbors, research the local school and visit the parks. As for the house itself, get an inspection report. These can uncover unseen things like termites and flooding, two expensive undertakings.

Buying a home is exciting and daunting. But doing your due diligence can make the process a little easier, and get you into your dream home with (little) stress.

You do not have to spend a lot of money by hiring a designer or changing your property entirely in order to update or improve it.

Are you getting ready to sell your property or have you just moved in? Here are a few five tips to help you update/improve on your property.

Spice up the Décor

There are many ways for you to spice up your décor. You can use the free wall space to put up family photos, mirrors, paintings etc. If all your walls are occupied you can always swap around the décor. This will give your property a new feel that will leave your rooms refreshed and exciting.

Change Your ‘Look’

Revamp your interior by replacing your curtains, chair covers, switch your décor around, this will give the interior of your property that ‘new’ look.Any of these will offer you the desired effect but if you implement most of them you will see a significant change! And if it’s a bedroom you’re tired of, same rules apply: Replace the duvet cover, re-cover the headboard, and toss a few new pillows on the bed.

Change up the Color

A fresh coat of paint has a way of always giving the room new look. Do not be afraid to explorer different colors if you are tired of the old bland color. Red and orange are bold but beautiful colors that will make any room pop if applied with moderation. Make sure you commit to color that you will appreciate.

Move the Furniture Around

You will be amazed at the way moving your furniture around will have on your rooms. By simply moving the bed to another position the bedroom will gain that fresh new look. Do not be afraid to try different angles and positions of tables and chairs in your living room that will surprise your guests.

Add Personality

Our personalities tend to come out in our comfort zones which are usually our homes. Let loose and express yourself when updating your property, use the things you already own to add personality to the rooms like photos, jewelry, posters and fabrics. This will keep things interesting, fun and inexpensive.

A lot of fresh graduates keep on asking this question, “How can I get a job if all jobs need me to have experience?” Its true most jobs need you to have experience but not all. Here are 4 job types in Uganda that won’t ask for a single bit of experience from you – apart from work basics.

1. Graduate Trainee Programs

This should be the most ideal job for any fresh and inexperienced graduate. A lot of companies/organizations have these programs running. For the case of Uganda, there is Total, most auditing firms, URA, Toyota and many more. But, there’s a condition – you must be a top talent to join them.

Nonetheless, this is a great program for one that is looking to launch a successful career. They’ll equip you with everything you need, from a good salary to a great team of coworkers.

2. Sales Jobs

Sales jobs are the ones you find most in the market. What does this mean? It means that few people are willing to take them on! In fact, many fresh graduates are horrified when you tell them to take on a sales job. But, one thing shouldn’t be ignored – you need sales techniques in all you’ll ever do. If you’re not selling a proposal to your boss, you’re selling yourself in a job interview.

Yet what people don’t realize is that sales skills are transferable to any profession. So, why not start with a job that will equip you with the most sought after skill in the world – selling!

3. Freelance Jobs

There is a great number of graduates who have not been completely absorbed in the job market. So what are you doing with the remaining part of your time? And there’s one thing that is crystal clear – you have to survive and also pay your bills. This is where you should consider freelancing. With the advancement in technology, you can actually do a lot with just your laptop.

Freelancing is good for people with practical skills like web designing, statistical analysis etc. It may not pay you as much as your dream job but it will ensure that you stay afloat. So, as you move between interviews, Freelancing should be your fallback position.

4. Other entry level jobs

Doing an entry level job means being at the bottom of the pyramid – a thing some people hate. But, we have to know that you have to start. For a person with no much experience, there’s no ideal job for you other than an entry level. But, if you get an entry level job, look at the organization’s chart. Then set targets on where exactly you want to be after what period of time.

With this in mind, you’ll be able to work your way up the organizational ladder. So, as a fresh a graduate, it shouldn’t be a major concern where you start from. Just ensure you know exactly where you want to be and work towards that. There are a couple of entry level jobs depending on which company/organization. For example data entrants, sales representatives etc.

There are more jobs that fresh graduates in Uganda can concentrate on, but these are the top 4. In case you know any, just comment with it. For more information about this topic, write Peter Kisadha on his email peter.kisadha@everjobs.ug.