We bought a new house: A new beginning
When we bought our current home about 6 years ago, I knew it wasn’t going to be our forever home. In fact, I had a dream of turning it into a rental one day as we live in a very family friendly neighborhood with high demand for rentals.
Our journey towards a dream home
We weren’t in our dream location just yet, but we liked the idea of living below our means so we can save enough money for a second home. As you know, real estate in Southern California can get very expensive and it’s hard to buy a decent family-sized home in a desirable area on an average income. We made a decision to live in a more affordable area while the kids are still young so we can continue to save, then planned to move to our dream location before the kids go to middle grade schools.
We made our decision not based on immediate comfort but for our future plans of building our real estate portfolio and making smart investments. Luckily, our plan worked.
How we began our lives
Both my husband and I began our lives with very little. Being children of immigrant parents, we knew we were on our own when it comes to building wealth. We paid for our own college and received some support for the wedding ceremony, which we’re grateful for. Then we were on our own at the age of 23 and 24.
Sometimes I wonder how my husband and I were so brave when we had so little because I never had fears about our future. I believed in my husband, but I believed in myself more. And I knew that if we both work hard, give back and make smart decisions one day at a time, we would be able to create the dream life we want.
I truly believe that the Universe is abundant and we will receive all the blessings, including material wealth, if we’re aligned to our soul purpose and live in a state of gratitude and grace. Most importantly, we must continue to serve others in our own little ways, whether it’s at our jobs, at our community, at our church and beyond.
Giving back to the community
We donate and give back to our community regularly, and don’t tell each other when we do. We just know this to be a part of our lifestyle that we both agree on. My husband has been giving back to the homeless community for years, which I won’t go into too much detail here because he won’t like it.
I have my own ways too, which I won’t go into detail here because it’s not necessary. But I do want to share that giving back is a big part of our lifestyle and I know this is why God / Universe continue to bless us.
Giving back is not “budgeting.” The true essence of giving back is giving to others, even when you may not always have enough. It’s living in a state of abundance, not scarcity.
It’s not thinking, “If I give this to ____, I won’t be left with anything for myself.” Instead, it’s “I want to give back because this person can probably use this more than myself. I know there will always be enough for me too.”
Finding the perfect home
Fast forward 6 years one of our dreams came true. We found the perfect English style home nestled in the hills that just felt so right. It’s an old home that needs a lot of work and it took more money and time than we imagined, but I know in my heart that this is the right place for our family for our next chapter.
I believe in soulmates. I believe in connections. This old 80’s home is my soulmate home, and I can’t wait to share with you all that we have planned for her. Stay tuned for amazing before & after photos and videos!
What does your dream home look like? Where is it located, what do you love about it? Take a moment to visualize it in your head, see, feel and smell with your mind’s senses. Even better, write it down using as many details as possible.