If you don't understand this, you aren't ready to buy a house... (My Full Decision-Making Process)

All Resources: https://go.davidalex.com/resources-for-home-buying I just went through one of the hardest financial decisions of my life - whether to buy a $1.26M house in California - and I'm walking you through my entire process. From thinking about it, completely walking away, then deciding it was the right call. This isn't a pros and cons list. This is the real math, the bank statement loan reality as an entrepreneur, the amortization table that made me call my realtor to cancel, and the conversation with Claude that got to the actual fear underneath the numbers. Breaking down affordability, the 12-month mortgage reserve rule I live by, why year 21 of a 30-year loan is when things finally tip, how biweekly payments save you $30K, and the AI calculators I built to compare every scenario. If you're thinking about buying a home, especially in an expensive market, watch this before you sign anything. Not financial advice - just my real numbers and how I actually decided. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Stupidest Reason 1:25 - Affordability 3:43 - Bank Statement Loan 5:45 - The Numbers 8:00 - Amortization Reality 13:53 - Tax Write-Offs 19:05 - Break-Even Math 26:30 - Biweekly Trick 33:30 - Claude Conversation 38:55 - The Real Fear 40:00 - Final Thoughts