The #1 Mistake Couples Make When Purchasing a Home, According to the ‘Marriage or Mortgage’ Stars

If you know a new couple who’s struggling to decide where they should allocate their finances, you’ve come to the right place.

PureWow recently sat down for an exclusive interview with the stars of Netflix’s new series Marriage or Mortgage: real estate agent Nichole Holmes and wedding planner Sarah Miller. The pair not only shared behind-the-scenes secrets about the reality show, but they also discussed the number one mistakes that couples make when 1. buying a home and 2. planning a wedding.

In terms of real estate, Holmes revealed that the key to a successful house hunting strategy is knowing exactly what you can (and can’t) afford. In fact, the number one mistake that her clients make is: not consulting a financial professional to help figure out the logistics.

“It’s important for them to get their ducks in a row and figure out what their credit score is and how much they can spend on a home,” Holmes explained. “What are they comfortable with? What are they looking for? What can they spend—not what are they willing to spend, but what can they spend?”

She continued, “I don’t want anyone to be house poor by any stretch of the imagination. So, I need to work with a budget.”

As for wedding planning, Miller’s number one tip is—again—to enlist a professional. “I tell all my clients to hire a wedding planner, first and foremost,” she told PureWow. “It really is the most important step because some clients might even not know nowadays—with weddings being so much more expensive—even where to start. So, having a wedding planner allocate certain areas and budgets for certain things really, really helps. And it can save you so much money in the long run.”

Marriage or Mortgage (which is pretty much a cross between Selling Sunset and Say I Do) will hit Netflix on March 10.

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