 TITLE: Should We Buy a House or Have a Wedding? CONTENT: Get Married and Wait on the House\n---------------------------------\nWhy choose a wedding over an investment in your future as foundational as a home? Here are just a few valid reasons to consider:\n*   **You want to avoid years of resentment.** Some people dream of the perfect wedding for decades—a dream that can persist, grow old and fester if the opportunity passes.\n*   **You don't want to buy a home together without getting married.** You certainly can buy a home without getting married first, but married couples enjoy some legal protections that unmarried couples do not.\n*   **You invested 14 months in \"at home\" time during the pandemic.** Now you're ready to spend on socializing at a swanky wedding ceremony.\n*   **You're in a good position to keep saving.** Even if you opt for the wedding now, you will probably want a home at some point. If you're gainfully employed, living below your means and not going to overspend on your wedding, you may be able to build up the additional savings you'll need for a down payment over the years to come.\n*   **Your finances and credit need time to recover.** Unlike a wedding, a home purchase isn't solely about spending. You need good credit, financial reserves and a stable, adequate income to qualify for a mortgage. If your finances took a hit during the pandemic, it might take a few years to rebuild your credit and maintain a steady income so you can qualify for a loan to buy the house you really want.\n*   **Your local housing market is on fire.** In some areas, home shopping has become high intensity. If you're not ready for bidding wars and purchasing property as-is, you may want to wait until the market cools off.\n*   **You want to keep your options open.** Maybe you're new in town and you haven't found your perfect neighborhood. Or you'd like to see if remote work will continue over the long term, enabling you to hunt for a home farther away from the office. If you're feeling unsettled for whatever reason, you might be happier not committing to a new home at this time. END