The day you’re handed the keys to your new home is likely to be one of the greatest, proudest days of your life. Getting on the property ladder is no mean feat today, and it shows that you have the grit and determination to do what it takes to improve your life -something which should definitely be celebrated.
Once you’re moved in, and the celebrating is over, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ll be able to kick back, relax and enjoy your new home, right? WRONG! Although there are lots of great things about being a homeowner, there are also a lot of challenges that will have you tearing your hair out too. Here are some of the less amazing aspect of owning a home:
Your Leisure Time will Be Eaten Up by DIY
When you’re renting, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to take care of that leaking faucet or the damp patch showing on the ceiling, but the second you become a homeowner, that’s no longer the case, and it’s up to you to keep your home in good shape.
Obviously, if you have the building checked over using a great service like Allcott Associates Building Surveys, it’s unlikely, in the first few years of ownership at least, that you’ll have to deal with any major issues like subsidence or a leaking roof, but you will have other challenges. Pipes will burst, the kitchen will need a revamp, you’ll have to keep on top of the garden- all of this takes time and more and more of your weekends will be swallowed up in DIY, maintenance and housework. Of course, some of you will probably love that!
You’ll Clean More Than You’ve Ever Cleaned Before
You might think that you made a real effort to keep your rental home clean, and for all appearances, it may have looked pretty spotless, but when you become a homeowner, well your cleaning habits will go into overdrive. You’ll be scrubbing bathroom tiles with a toothbrush every Sunday, mopping the kitchen floor every night and dusting every nook and cranny to within an inch of its life because, when you set up home in your own property for the first time, you truly become house proud.
You Will Be Grossed Out
Unfortunately, becoming the owner of a house also means you become the owner of toilets, pipes, and gutters and these need to be cleaned and maintained on a regular/semi-regular basis. Since local plumbers can be very expensive, this means you are going to be grossed out by some of the things you’re expected to touch with your, albeit gloved, hands.
It’s a Never Ending Project
Looking after and improving your own home is a project with no end date. As soon as you fix the dripping tap, a tile will come off the roof, or the cooker will give up the ghost, and you’ll need to find the time and money to deal with that.
You’ll Love It
Despite all of that, you’ll love every minute of it, and you’ll be perfectly happy to give up weekends out with friends for time spent in your home painting, fixing and relaxing with a glass of wine in front of the TV.
