My wife and I got married in August of 2024. We’ve been married a little over a year now, and one of the hardest parts of starting our life together has honestly been finding a place to live. Before we even got married, we spent months searching for housing in Provo. At the time, we were both full-time students trying to balance school, work, and preparing for marriage while also hunting for a place we could actually afford. We were trying to stay close to campus and our jobs and still stay within our budget, which felt almost impossible. Everything we could afford was either too far away or honestly just gross. Old, run-down apartments that didn’t feel safe or clean. It was discouraging. When we finally found a small place that actually worked, we had to jump on it immediately. There was no time to think about it. Good deals disappear in hours, sometimes minutes. So we took it, grateful just to have something. We lived there during our first year of marriage. Then when our lease ended, our landlord decided to move back into the unit. That meant we had to move again after only one year of being married, right when we were starting to feel settled. When we moved, our rent jumped almost 30% overnight. Even though we were able to find a basement through a family friend, the increase still hit hard. As students and newlyweds, that extra cost has been a real struggle. We’ve had to stretch our budget, cut back on things, and be extremely intentional with every dollar. Another big challenge has been where we’re trying to buy. We’re specifically looking in Springville or at least somewhere in Utah County, which is one of the most expensive areas in the state. We want to stay in Springville because we genuinely love it. It’s close to our families, where I grew up, and where my business is based. I’m working to grow my company into something big that can provide jobs and opportunities for people in our community. Staying local matters to us. We want to be near our friends and family and continue being part of the community we love and are invested in. Now we’re trying to take the next step and look for a home of our own, and that’s a whole new challenge. Home prices in Utah are insanely high, especially for young couples who are still in school and just starting out. On top of that, I’m an entrepreneur. My income is real and consistent through my business, but I don’t have traditional pay stubs, which makes qualifying for normal loans a lot harder when you’re self-employed.