Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance: The Emotional Truth of Getting Ready to Buy a Home
There’s a saying in the UK military world: Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. It’s blunt. It’s a bit cheeky. But it’s also one of the most grounding truths you’ll ever hear, especially when you're gearing up to buy your first home.
Because here’s the reality no one tells you upfront: preparing to buy isn’t just about paperwork, credit scores, and mortgage rates. It’s emotional. It's vulnerable. And sometimes, it feels like you’re being judged before you’ve even had a chance to prove you’re ready.
The Emotional Toll of Getting “Mortgage-Ready”
No one really prepares you for how exposed the process can feel. Every financial decision you’ve ever made is suddenly under a microscope.
Your spending habits.
Your debts.
Your savings.
It can feel invasive, even shame-inducing, like someone is holding up a mirror to your past and asking, “Are you really ready for this?”
But here’s what I’ve learned: most of that pressure is internal. It’s not about anyone actually judging you, it's about learning to face your finances with honesty and clarity, even when it’s uncomfortable. And when you do, you start to realize that preparation isn’t just about improving the numbers. It’s about taking control of your own narrative.
My Own Prep Work
In my case, I knew I wanted to qualify for a mortgage that gave me some breathing room. So, I made a hard choice—I paid off my car in full. That wasn’t easy. But it dramatically changed how lenders looked at my debt-to-income ratio. If you’re not in a place to clear a loan entirely, even paying down a chunk can help more than you realize.
I also started making quieter shifts in how I spent my money. I stopped justifying those small, silly purchases—the ones that seemed harmless at the time but stacked up over the month. Not because I couldn’t afford them, but because I realized that every dollar I saved brought me closer to home ownership. That mindset shift was the real win.
And yeah, some days felt like a sacrifice. But most days felt empowering, like I was finally steering the ship.
You Are Not Your Credit Score
If you're in the thick of preparation and you're feeling discouraged, let me say this: you are not your credit score. You are not defined by your past choices. And you are certainly not a failure because someone asked you for more documents or said you needed to save a bit longer.
Getting ready to buy a home takes courage. It takes discipline. But it also takes grace—for yourself, and for the version of you who’s trying to do better.
The Payoff of Preparation
The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel when the right home comes along.
You won’t hesitate.
You won’t scramble.
You’ll already know your numbers, your budget, and your limits.
And most importantly, you’ll know that you earned this moment—not just through saving and planning, but through the emotional resilience it took to get there.
Because real estate doesn’t reward perfection. It rewards preparedness.
So take it from someone who's living it: Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance—but more than that, it builds the quiet confidence you’ll need to make one of the biggest decisions of your life.
And trust me, you’ll be proud you did!
📞 Ready to Start Your Home Buying Journey? Let’s Do It Together.
If you’re thinking about buying your first home—whether you’re months away or just starting to explore your options—you don’t have to navigate this process alone. Preparing to buy a home takes courage, clarity, and the right guidance, and I’m here to support you through every step.
As a first-time buyer myself, and as someone working directly inside the Edmonton real estate market, I understand both the emotional and practical sides of this journey. My goal is simple: to help you feel prepared, confident, and empowered as you move toward home ownership.
If you’re ready to talk about your next steps, your financing, your timeline, or even just your fears and questions—reach out.
Let’s have a real conversation, with zero pressure and complete honesty.
👉 Call or text me, Ludovic, anytime you’re ready to begin.
Together, we can turn preparation into progress, and progress into the keys to your first home.
Ludovic Aubertin
Iconic YEG | RE/MAX Real Estate
Phone: 587-982-8304
Email: ludovic@iconicyeg.com
Website: ludovic.iconicyeg.com