Real estate advice to my younger self

This is me back at age 24. The advice I would give my younger self when buying a house:

• Splurge on location
  

• Spend more than you think you can
  

• Skimp on everything else

Having trendy flooring/bathrooms/kitchen will eventually go out of style. They’re not worth splurging on if it means you have to compromise—even a LITTLE—on being in the right location.

Meanwhile, premium location appreciates—sometimes rapidly. Location is the one thing you can’t change about a house. You can always upgrade the flooring and kitchen and landscaping etc. It may or may not add value. Location, i.e., the value of the land itself, is the only part of a house that’s a legitimate investment versus being a consumption decision.