I thought buying a house would feel like crossing some invisible finish line into adulthood, as if the keys would come with instant confidence and a matching set of dishes. HA! Realistically, it has been more like standing in the bathroom, plunger in hand, or my husband yelling, “Is that the one?” as he troubleshoots at the fuse box in the basement. Oh, adulthood. The lies…
If you’re new to homeownership, or experiencing some “aging home problems,” here are some things I wish someone had said to me before I signed on the dotted line.
There’s No Getting Out of This
For some weird reason, everything breaks in tandem with your emotional meltdowns. One day, I came home, arms full of groceries, to find the garage light had flickered out. That was fun. Then, by morning, the refrigerator was making this awful grinding noise, like it was chewing on rocks. Within one year, we had to replace our AC, heater, and hot water tank. I mean, give a girl a break! Nobody warned me that the maintenance of my home is not something I can schedule on the calendar. Super inconvenient, and the slightest bit rude.
Your Budget Doesn’t End at the Closing Table
Whatever figure you were quoted to pay per month, add more. Plus more. Much more. Home insurance, taxes, repair emergencies, and the mysterious charges that appear on your mortgage all add up. And just as you’ve settled into a budget, the price of everything goes up. Swell.
You Will Google Everything You Hear at Night
Houses make noises. Weird ones. Pipes shift, wood creaks, and sometimes you’ll swear something is walking in the attic (ours was a squirrel). I used to think all of this meant something horrible, like the foundation was splitting apart or a ghost was pulling a chair across the living room. More often than not, there’s nothing (major) to worry about. However, figuring out when to ignore stuff and when to call someone right away is a strange initiation no one discusses. WHY DOES NO ONE DISCUSS THIS.
Paperwork Matters
Hey, know what? It’s not the same to lose the deed to your house as it is to lose your receipt from Target. Suppose you’re unsure where to record property deeds; put on the brakes and research it because that’s the stuff you need to hold onto. Tossing it into a folder labeled “house stuff” won’t help when it’s actually needed.
You May Miss Renting (a Little)
Remember when we could call landlords (or parents!) to address the dripping faucet or snow removal? Those were the days! Homeownership makes you the boss, and ya don’t get time off. As a result, there will be occasions where you may regret buying, and that’s okay. Feeling overwhelmed is not a sign that you’ve made a bad decision; it just means you care enough to want to get it right. Ask for help, invest in the correct tools (ergonomic snow shovel for the win!), and give it your best.
It’s Still Worth It, Even When It’s Not Easy
Some mornings, I’m by myself in the kitchen, and I’ll catch a sunbeam streaming across the floor. It’s in these moments that I am reminded: I’m so lucky this is mine. It doesn’t always look glamorous for the ‘gram, and no one is handing out medals for midnight repairs, BUT there is undeniable satisfaction in calling something your own, and making a house into a home.
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