Today, more than at any time I can remember in the past 30 years, young couples are buying homes BEFORE they get married. This is due, no doubt, to the fact that over the past 5 years or so, mortgage interest rates have been very low. What better incentive to buy!

It's also due to the fact that so many more couples are living together, sometimes for several years before taking the final step: marriage. A good number of them have already invested in homes, knowing that carrying a mortgage is often the same as, or even less than paying rent, and the best part is that the money is ultimately going back into their own pockets instead of someone else's.

And for those starting out with their first home, often the only affordable homes have been older ones, perhaps needing some work. A bit of paint, a bit of paper, some attractive accents, some good interior decorating and of course, money, and hey presto, you have a lovely home that reflects who you are and is so very much your own.

But hiring interior decorators isn't in the budget for most newlyweds or new home owners. That's why it's worth your while to visit Greenleaves Wedding Center's Home Decoration, where you can save yourself a bundle by implementing the many useful tips and ideas offered by writers who know so much about home decorating and renovating.

Click this link to take a look at two pictures that explain what follows.

The two homes pictured are one and the same ... a few years apart. The original home in Merewether Beach, NSW, Australia was purchased for $78,000 in 1984. After extensive interior renovations and a gorgeous addition that doubled its original size, but with the only exterior change being from wood to brick as it looks on the left, it sold in 1991 for $285,000 . Then, the new owners continued the renovations on the exterior to result in what you see on the right.

In late 2006, that same home sold for $1.2 million! Why? Well yes, prices have skyrocketed. And yes, the renovations have been superbly done,both inside and out. But the single most important thing in buying any home is "location, location, location"!

A home, even one needing updating and renovating, can be worth a fortune in the years ahead if its location is on the most wanted list, and being 500 yards from the beach, the originally modest little 900 sq. ft wooden cottage is today a 2000 sq. ft. million dollar property.

So whether you're about to buy to intending to buy a new home in the future, even if one home costs a tad more than another, give location top priority and your home will truly be a worthwhile investment.

About the Author

Viga Boland is the webmaster of several article-based sites covering topics like weddings, American Idol, baby boomers travel, cruising, music and women's interests Article submissions welcomed.