06/18/2026
It's funny what your mind comes up with at 3 a.m.
The other night, I found myself thinking about the first home I ever purchased. I was 23, engaged, and my fiancé was finishing school halfway across the country. I knew very little about finances, had never heard the term "property taxes," and certainly didn't understand the real estate market.
What I did know was that paying $1,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment felt crazy, and I wasn't building anything for my future.
Buying that first home turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. It wasn't just a house—it was an investment in ourselves and our future.
This month alone, I've helped three buyers in their early 20s purchase their first homes. I'm continually amazed by the programs available in Nebraska that help make homeownership more accessible for first-time buyers. Even better, these buyers are heading to the closing table with a strong understanding of the process and confidence in their decision.
No one can predict the future, and every investment carries risk. But for us, buying that first home became one of the best financial decisions we ever made. It gave us a place to call our own, helped us build equity, and created opportunities we wouldn't have had otherwise.
If you're wondering if homeownership is possible, you may be surprised by the programs and resources available right here in Nebraska. Sometimes the biggest obstacle is simply not knowing where to start.
And because curiosity got the best of me, I looked up that first home we bought years ago for $180,000. Zillow estimates it at around $550,000 today.
2708 San Marcos Ct, Rocklin CA, is a Single Family home that contains 1306 sq ft and was built in 1994.It contains 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.This home last sold for $351,000 in December 2016. The Zestimate for this Single Family is $550,900.The Rent Zestimate for this Single Family is $2,728/mo.
