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What No One Told Me About Owning a Home
It’s a lot of work, stress, and money — but it was worth it
After saving up for years, my husband and I were able to buy a small home.
We had previously lived in an apartment, and I was eager to start a garden, adopt a cat, and have neighbors who were a little further away. We were tired of blank white walls and wanted a little more space.
Our careers were secure, or as secure as they’ll ever be. Buying a home seemed ideal. I did a ton of research and understood that I was in for a lot of work. But I was blindsided by a few things.
1. You need a lot of money
I knew home ownership was going to be expensive. Closing costs for our little home were nearly $5,000. That doesn’t even include the down payment.
But then, in the first year, we had to make several improvements — some planned, some unplanned, as parts of the home hadn’t been updated in half a century. Our home inspection had missed several problems. Bye-bye $15,000.
My emergency fund was gutted and still hasn’t recovered, due to upkeep costs.
To be fair, a lot of costs are predictable. I know I’ll spend $5 each spring to change the oil in my lawn mower. But this spring, I saw that that…
