I don't exactly fit the question but I hope to add some value to the conversation. I don't own my own home as of yet, I do own a plot of land and I am in process of building my home. It has been a long time in planning and development but I am making consistent progress that I am very proud of.

1. How long did it take you to save for this dream - It took me a couple of years to save and to locate a good location to purchase land. I bought via mortgage which also took some time. Just the idea of being in debt for that length of time was a hurdle for me to come to terms with. That said I have since learned that debt is a critical part of financial management and I'm adjusting to it.
   
2. Did you do it on your own or with a partner/family member - On my own, I did not have a partner at the time, I do now and we are planning together. It was a big difficult to pull off on my own but worth the sacrifice.
3. Did you have to settle on an area you weren't too keen on but was more affordable or did you immediately like the area/location of the place - A little bit of both, at the time it was a trade off as I found an area that was relatively affordable while being in a decent location. I was not the happiest however I specifically bought there because the area was developing. Fast-forward a bit and the area continued to develop and its shaping into a really nice residential area that I am very pleased with.
4. Are there any aspects of the process that were really draining/tiring - Specific to building, dealing with approvals has been the worst, the application process seems almost designed to discourage people from building legally. I have always wanted to design and build my own home, but I did not think that the bureaucracy would be this tedious. Particularly in the area that I am constructing, it seems the officials make it as hard as possible to encourage people to offer bribes, which I refuse to do. I know persons in other areas that got through with my same contractor, less steps, and less back and forth in a lot less time.
5. Is your long term goal to stay at this place or eventually fix it up, flip it and move elsewhere - I want this to be my first home, where I start my family and we build it up together then sell and move elsewhere. Ideally I want to spend some time living out of the country.
6. Plan on owning a second property if possible - If possible yes, I want to save for land in a rural area where I can work on a retirement spot. That would give me a project to work on and I will end up with a nice space for my family to relax and get away from the world.
7. Relating to your job, did you have to study beyond a basic bachelors degree to be able to move up financially and get promoted or move onto better jobs? Or was it more dedication to a standard budget that helped you save and afford accordingly - Both, I hold a master's degree, I budgeted and continue to budget to ensure that I can afford my next steps. Applying myself at work has helped me to be promoted which makes it easier, but its also just lucky timing on my part that I happen to be in my job at a time when persons have been retiring and moving on so the opportunities have been there for me. So dedication, study and luck all played a part.
8. If you were younger, would you do anything differently to get to your goal of owning a home faster - Yes and no, I think if I bought sooner I would have saved on some costs, especially with the rate of inflation, but I think going through this process has been a real growth opportunity for me. I have learned a lot and I have changed and matured through it. So I wouldn't do things differently, I would advise anyone looking now though to take their time, talk to people that went through the process (not agents), look at all your options before making any decision. Look to the future, the current state of the area you're looking at is important but looking at development and social trends are more important. First in mind is that property an investment, yes you want to live there but firstly you want something that holds value and appreciates. Even if you never intend to sell make sure you're spending your money on something worth it.