Owning your first home is both a major accomplishment and a major reality check. In a short period of time, your title changes from simple “renter” to not so simple “homeowner”. With all the tasks that come along with home ownership, that simple name soon transforms into multiple job titles including landlord, handyman, interior designer, housekeeper, landscaper and more. After a while, you may find yourself asking if you own your home or if your home owns you. While this reality check is one only a first time home buyer can truly experience for themselves, a little heads up couldn’t hurt. Here are 6 things no one ever told you about owning your own home
- The Work Never Ends
Expect your weekends to now be filled with endless hours of yard work! Owning your own home means keeping it in good shape and once you become a homeowner, the cleaning, yard work, and projects seem to be never-ending. No longer does your landlord mow the lawn, shovel the snow, rake the leaves, clean the gutters, landscape, and garden for you. You, homeowner, do it all!
- You are Your Own Landlord
As stated above, this means that you are now in charge of all of the landlord-ly duties. This includes paying all the utilities you may have once had covered in your rent and hiring professionals when things go wrong and need fixing. I advise you to not fret on this, however, and think back to your crazy college landlord who tried to charge you for that broken water heater. Being your own landlord is like being your own boss and is just one of the awesome perks of home ownership.
- It Costs More Than You Think
Almost no one goes blindly into purchasing a home and understands there will be additional future fees. However, first time buyers may easily overlook all of the added costs involved in home ownership. Future home owners must realize that a home is the gift that keeps on giving. In a sincere sense, this means the house will provide you with comfort, happiness, and memories, but in an ironic sense, this means the house will provide you with expense after expense after expense; repairs, taxes, insurance, utilities, and remodeling to name a few.
- It Takes Time to Build Your Dream Home
You may have purchased your dream home on the outside, but what first time home buyers don’t realize is that building a dream home on the inside will take time. You may have to live a few years with that ugly wallpaper, empty den, and hand-me-down furniture until you can afford to renovate.
- You Will Have a New Appreciation for Your Parents
I’m sure you remember now more than ever the days of living at home with your parents. You now realize why always leaving lights and the TV on, spilling on the carpeting, and coloring on the walls was such a big deal to them. If you could go back, you wouldn’t complain when they asked you to do little chores because you now understand how much they had on their plate. Thanks Mom and Dad!
- The True Pride and Joy of Being a Homeowner
No real estate agent, friend, or coworker can truly describe to you how good it feels to possess your very own home. Through all the ups and downs, owning a home is one of, if not the best investment a person can make. After all, there is no price tag on the sense of security and happy memories your home will provide for you. The famous quote says it all. “There’s no place like home”.
Steve Kern 