My God! I’m a homeowner! A first timer am I. My father passed away earlier this year and left me a small insurance settlement, but it was enough to get me thinking that maybe it’s time I grew up a little and took the plunge. Well after a few months of looking, I finally found a 3 BR - 2 Bath owned by an older couple who kept it in great condition. The neighborhood is quiet. The community was built in 1980 before they started buidling houses 7 ft apart so I have a nice little quarter acre lot with a fenced in backyard so my dog will now have a place to play safely outside instead of being cooped up in the apartment all day.
I closed on it Friday afternoon and this week I’m attacking the wall paper and getting ready to paint and make the place mine. When I’m done, you’re all invited to my place for a housewarming party!
Welcome to the world of homeownership. When the roof leaks, that’s your problem. When the toilet leaks, that’s your problem. When the grass needs mowing, that’s your problem. And that’s just week one!
Where’d you find such a cheap place in Nashvegas? (You’re still in the area, right?)
swampbear’s right about the “joys” of home ownership, but look at it this way, if you want to paint your bedroom walls shocking blue, that’s your choice! If you want a decorative sink in the bathroom, that’s your choice! If you want green carpet, that’s your choice!
(PSST! If you need a hand fixing the place up, drop me a line and I’ll be more than happy to show up. I’ve got tools galore, and what I don’t have I can borrow easily. Plus, I’ve got experience in construction, so I know what I’m doing, I’ve also got a friend who’s an interior decorator, who’d probably give you a break on his usual fee.)
See now, if I’d known, you could’ve bought my three-bedroom in Smyrna for $10 grand less and had almost an acre fenced backyard for Fido. Last house on a dead-end street in a small neighborhood.
Enjoy your home-ownership. I love owning my own place, not having to listen to people above and below me living their lives.
Congrats! Mr. Armadillo and I finally set a closing date for our own first time homebuying venture–we’ll officially be homeowners in a little over three weeks, on my birthday
Exciting, isn’t it?
congrats! I just bought mine in March (holy crap, 8 months ago?!?) and it’s great. Similar price to yours. I still get the "I’m in over my head " feeling sometimes, but for the most part I never look back. I’ve spent a good deal of money revamping the bathroom (tiled floors, new vanity, new toilet, repaired shower plumbing, fresh paint) but hopefull it’ll all come back to me plus some when I sell the place.
The best part so far (or my favorite part) has been how much I’ve learned about general fix-it processes and minor construction. I’ve been doing everything so far myself, and it’s a longer process but it’s a cheaper one too. They call it “sweat equity”.
You think you feel good now? Wait until you knock out your first wall. I tore up a chunk of my lawn to put in a veggy garden, and when I drove my truck up on the grass to haul the sod away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the landlord would be pissed. But then I’d remember…
" feeling sometimes, but for the most part I never look back. I’ve spent a good deal of money revamping the bathroom (tiled floors, new vanity, new toilet, repaired shower plumbing, fresh paint) but hopefull it’ll all come back to me plus some when I sell the place.