Plan for Buying My First Home

The last time I blogged about my living arrangement, it had been a month or two after we moved and I listed the pros and cons of our current place.  We are still living there and really enjoying it.  However, the next time we move, it will be because we are purchasing a new place.  However, that won't be until 2023, for a few reasons which I will get into.  I've never bought a home myself, and now that I work for a mortgage broker, I know about the industry and I would easily be able to finance a loan for a mortgage.  

My sister bought her first home (which she still lives in currently) in 2017.  Soon it will be time for me to buy my first home.  But like I said, it won't be until 2023, and here's why:
- Save up for down payment
I know, I know, if you can make the minimum down payment, it's better to buy earlier rather than later.  But my savings took a hit recently because of a purchase, which leads me to...
- Paying off my car loan
I know that my car loan on my credit will affect my ability to purchase a home.  For lenders, I won't be able to qualify for as much.  My goal by the time we plan to purchase is to pay off my car, which I bought six months ago (as of the time of writing this).  I am making larger than necessary payments in order to do so.  I would much rather have bought a place first, but my car before this one was falling apart and was becoming unreliable.  I had it for a decade, and it was time to move on.
- Insurance record
I'd have to ask my girlfriend again, who works in insurance, but we have a... record of an incident on our insurance.  In July 2020, I accidentally set off a sprinkler in our apartment which caused damage (long story).  My girlfriend told me it would be on our record if we were to try to get homeowner's insurance for about 3 years.  So if we were to try to get homeowner's insurance now, it would be a bit more expensive because of that claim we had to file.  
- Not wanting to move again so soon
My girlfriend and I have moved so much in the decade plus that we've been together, at least once every three years.  Her nor I want to move again so soon.  

One reason why I'd like to just buy now and not wait is because our rent is likely to jump up, and I'd rather not be paying that.  But as long as we watch what we spend and cut back on a few things, we should be able to still save up. 

The location of our new home is up in the air.  My employer is moving offices for us in the next month or so, and we will be going from Woodinville to Bellevue.  Fortunately, I'll be able to carpool with my girlfriend, who works minutes away from where I will be.  But that means I'd like try to find a place a bit closer to there to ease both of our commutes.

We'll be looking for a condo or a townhouse.  I'd really like to find a place with an attached or assigned garage so that I can install an EV charging station.  I would then trade in my current car for an electric one.  Granted, I've only had it for six months now, but by the time we buy a place over a year from now and I take another few months to find the right electric car for me, I'll have had the car for close to two years.  I do like my car, but I'm not in love with it to the point that I'd hate to ever part with it.  

I want to be a homeowner so badly.  My boss is in the process of buying a place currently, and my two co-workers are each in the market to buy a place of their own as well.  It's definitely a seller's market right now, and I would much rather buy a place in a buyer's market.  I may update when the time comes if anything changes.