# Congratulate me! I'm a new homeowner!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2001, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959 "2001-07-27T13:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/1 "2001-07-27T13:50:11Z")
Well, I will be in a few hours… I have that really sick, nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach right now. I always feel that way whenever I spend a lot of money! Other than that, I am very excited! This will be my first home!!! It’s a great little house. White with green trim and lots of trees. Great schools and a really cool park less than a mile away which the kiddies love. I wish I could shake this nervous jitter! ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/2 "2001-07-27T14:02:06Z")
_ **Congratulations!** _ Can empathize with you, bought our second home last week, Monday. Sure seems like a lot of money. It felt a lot better having a big pile of money in the bank than having a big pile of debt. But the l’iluns seem to be enjoying it, and we also have nice parks and schools nearby. Don’t worry, the nerves thing usually goes away in a year or two 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BooBoo316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/3 "2001-07-27T14:38:12Z")
Congrats, from a soon-to-be new homeowner. We close on Aug 15, so I totally sympathize with the nervous feelings. Enjoy your new home. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/4 "2001-07-27T14:39:22Z")
**MissBHaven** , congratulations! I can’t wait until I get my own home. 🙂 I wish you much luck in your new house. It sounds like quite the catch as far as houses go. But now, for the most important question-can we get away with a giant house-warming bash? ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/5 "2001-07-27T14:49:25Z")
A house-warming bash sounds great to me! Of course, the house is a little on the small side so we may need to spill out onto the lawn. Maybe a house-warming BBQ? The more the merrier! ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/6 "2001-07-27T15:09:26Z")
Congratulations! Tell us about the house … I close on a house on August 10, so I’ve got that same combination of elation and stress. Elation, because I’ll finally be out of the apartment, in a good sized house with a POOL (brag brag). Stress, thinking about mortgage stuff, and the thousands of dollars in “little things” such as carpeting, appliances, and bathroom renovations that I’ll be spending before I move in. Also, that “am I doing the right thing?” feeling – I’ve always preferred central city living, but this time I’m at the end of a cul-de-sac. Not much of a choise – either blow a huge chunk of change on a small house in a hip, urban neighborhood, but be far from work, or buy a much less expensive but larger house in the sprawl and be closer to work, but farther from urban amenities. ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/7 "2001-07-27T16:28:20Z")
Trouble in paradise… The seller has an unresolved lien; there is an inspection that wasn’t done that has to be done before 2:00 today and my agent is trying to charge me quite a bit more than was disclosed. Welcome to my hell or a typical closing day–however you look at it! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/8 "2001-07-27T17:37:45Z")
Sorry about the bad news, **MissB** ; I can’t believe the inspection wasn’t done earlier - and the lien discovered earlier. Good luck in getting it all resolved; I’m sure it will all come together. And good luck to **elmwood** , and you too, **BooBoo316**! Owning a house is an adventure, but it beats hell out of apartment living, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/9 "2001-07-27T17:44:31Z")
**B** , you need cocktails. Molotov cocktails. ---
**Author:** ![BooBoo316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/10 "2001-07-27T22:26:38Z")
**MissB** , sorry to hear about the delay. Hope by the time you read this, everything is back on track. I hope we don’t have any suprises with our closing, but I’ve noticed that something always seems to come up. Thanks **RTFirefly** , you are _sooo_ right about apartments. My wife and I have been living in apartments our whole life together (9 years) and can’t wait to get in our own house. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/11 "2001-07-27T23:10:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MissBHaven \* > \*\*A house-warming bash sounds great to me! Of course, the house is a little on the small side so we may need to spill out onto the lawn. Maybe a house-warming BBQ? The more the merrier! \*\* Woo-hoo! DopeFest at **MissBHaven’s** place! ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/12 "2001-07-30T15:07:54Z")
All is well! The movers have come and gone and now I have loads of unpacking ahead of me but what a great task! I finally have my own house & it just doesn’t get any better!!! ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/13 "2001-07-30T15:59:18Z")
Thats great news! We took the plunge last year. One word of advice though, if you are at all able, whenever you have an extra few hundred $$$ but that towards your mortgage. It will make a dramatic difference as to when your house gets paid off. My wife and I worked it out a couple months ago that if we stay at the rate we are paying it off, the whole shibang will be paid off in 5 years, as opposed to the 20-25 that the banks hope it lasts. It will save you tens of thousands (if not a hundred thousand) dollars! Congrats again! Its a lot better feeling than paying rent every month, isn’t it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/14 "2001-07-30T20:32:31Z")
Looks like we’re part of a trend! We just closed on a house the first week of July, and I’ve finally gotten all our stuff moved over. Now all we have to do is fix all the things that aren’t quite _right_ with the place and we’ll be all set. We won’t, of course. We’ll fix the worst things and just get used to the others, just like we did in the old house. Congratulations, everyone! I, for one, am never moving again. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/15 "2001-07-30T23:48:14Z")
Guess I’ll chime in as well – my wife and I closed escrow on a relatively new home (only 30 years old) back at the end of June. We’ve been renting it back to the sellers for the month of July until their new home is ready, but I’m picking up the keys tonight, and then it’ll officially be ours. We plan to take a few weekends to fix a few things, have an alarm system installed, and paint the house (interior and exterior), then we’ll move in around the middle of August. I’m eager to move in, but truth to tell I’m not getting the “so thrilled to be living in my own home that I’m bouncing off the walls” excitement that I _thought_ I’d feel. I suspect it’s because I’m still anxious about the budget – even though I’ve checked the numbers several times, I’m still worried that our monthly expenses (mortgage, utilities, groceries, existing debt) will be more than our monthly income – and then we’ll have a horrible, flaming, spirialing crash into bankruptcy. Anyone have any suggestions for how to overcome _that?_ ---
**Author:** ![Cyndar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cyndar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyndar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/16 "2001-07-31T04:50:17Z")
Congrats on the home. I have just begun the process of buying my first house. I’m going through a first time home buyer program for financial assistance. I have to take a class on home buying in about a week and a half. I’ve already been pre-approved for a mortgage. I’ll start looking soon; a friend’s mom is a realtor, someone I can trust. Hopefully I’ll be in a home by December 1st! ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/17 "2001-07-31T13:43:52Z")
Congrats to all on the new homes! I didn’t get the excited…“oh my god! i just bought a house!” until after I actually closed and got my stuff moved in. Prior to that, I was terrified that something was going to fall through and I’d be officially homeless. Pretty scary thought! Anyway, now I’m psyched!!! I have a few loose ends to tie up and a lot of unpacking to do—any dopers want to volunteer their services? ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/18 "2001-07-31T14:42:39Z")
Slightly belated congratulations! People who actually own real estate always impress the heck out of me… ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/19 "2001-07-31T20:39:21Z")
Congrats, Miss B! I just spoke with a potential lender today. He thinks that, with some creative financing tricks, he can get us approved for a loan on a house that will leave us incredibly house poor for the next few years. But it won’t be constructed until April, giving us a little bit of time to save up a bit more. And it is our dream: big lot (by Phoenix standards), mountainside (sort of), with a basement (almost unheard of here), centrally located, and wholly fabulous. More included amenities than you can shake a stick at (though why you’d want to is anybody’s guess). Well, house poor’s better than revolving debt poor (which is what we are now), I suppose. I’m very nervous about this whole thing. And I’ve got to keep being nervous (what if the builder goes under? what if we lose our jobs? what if we have a catastrophic illness in the family? what if we hit PowerBall and decide we want something bigger?) for the next few months. ::goes off to take some Pepto-Bismol:: ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959/20 "2001-08-01T02:15:17Z")
Consider yourself congratulated! First house I ever bought, I actually took all my clothes off & rolled around nekkid on the empty floor. Then ordered sushi, ate it, & rolled around nekkid again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-a-new-homeowner/73959.md?page=2)