5 Things Sesame Street Taught Me About My First Home Mortgage

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"Sunny days..." Can you hear the song in your head? Can you hear Cookie Monster tearing through those tasty treats? Can you picture Bert and Ernie talking about pigeons and rubber duckies? Then you're a Sesame Street fan!

Sesame Street taught us all about imagination and empathy, among many other great characteristics. Many of these lessons we take into adulthood. NPR covered all kinds of lessons learned after 40 years of Sesame Street (go ahead, click that link - it's nostalgic and educational!). And that got us thinking: the lessons from our favorite Muppets and their human friends can be applied to life in the real estate world!

Here's a look at 5 things Sesame Stree taught me about my first home mortgage.

1. Count for yourself. When Sesame Street taught us to count, they let us count along with them. Make sure you count for yourself when it comes to things like the asking price of the house and the interest rate you'll pay for that first mortgage loan.
2. Take care of each other. Bert and Ernie took good care of each other, and enjoyed sharing their hobbies. Make sure the real estate agent and mortgage consultant (and any other professionals) you're working with are interested in more than a quick buck. Ask questions, do your research and remember, taking care of each other beyond the sale price is important. That first home mortgage should not break the bank.
3. Keep it simple. Big Bird liked to keep things simple, so we could understand what was going on in the show and life. It should be the same with your first home mortgage. With something as complex as a 30-year loan for your very own house, make sure the people taking care of your business are able to explain things in simple terms you understand.
4. Sometimes there's a grouch in the neighborhood. Oscar the Grouch lives such a great neighborhood full of amazing people and Muppets. But he's still a grouch. The same can be said about our own communities. Take time to research the area you're looking to buy that first home. If the neighborhood is full of grouches, maybe consider another place. If it's just one Oscar the Grouch, maybe there's hope for that person if you move in with your "sunny days."
5. Treats are awesome. Cookie monster knew it, and we should remember it. Every office should have something to offer. We offer coffee and other beverages. Maybe I should start baking cookies...

After more than 40 years of letting kids (and parents) come into the neighborhood, the folks on Sesame Street have a lot of friends and a lot of lessons learned. You can probably think of a few. Share them in the comments section below. And if you're ready to learn more about what it takes to get your first home mortgage, take advantage of another lesson we learned from Sesame Street: sharing is caring. Download the eBook "The Get Mortgage Ready Kit" for free at the button below.

(Sesame Street photo courtesy: Muppet Wiki)