Homeowners Are Sharing What They Wish They'd Done Differently When Buying A Home, And I'm Taking Some Serious Notes
Owning a home is a big responsibility, and sometimes, you just have to learn along the way. Recently, Redditor u/iShipStuff42069 asked the homeowners of the Reddit community what to share what they'd do differently if they bought a new house, and as a non-homeowner, I'm all ears. Here are some of the responses that you, whether you're a homeowner or not, might want to keep in mind:
1."Getting a sewer scope. I had to replace part of our sewer line to clear tree roots that had infiltrated."
2."Research my realtor."
3."I'd buy a house that needed less renovations. I wasted more than 10 years of my life rehabbing my house. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should."
4."I would look at green technology: solar, wind, geothermal, gray water, etc. Something so that there aren't just standard utility grid hookups."
5."I'd get a huge garage. Or, better yet, a detached shop or garage is my number one. Granted, it would overlap with most of my hobbies, but I'd love to have room for my tools and cars without having to cram them all in Tetris-style."
6."I'd think more about house orientation. If you want to have plants, do you have rooms with natural sunlight? Do you have massive windows that will superheat your house? Do you have to buy a 40-foot ladder just to inspect your roof?"
7."Mainly, really think about what work you'd want to do before putting in an offer. When I bought my house, I thought, Oh, I'll figure that out after I move in. I could have removed all the popcorn ceilings and skim-coated the walls. I haven't done either of those things because I now live here with two cats, and it's a huge mess. I'm two years in...I think I'll do at least one room this year."
8."I would avoid buying a two-story. Heating and cooling is a pain, with one level or the other being too hot or cold."
9."I'd make sure my house had a full basement. I loathe the crawlspace and the hassle it is to get there when I need to store stuff."
10."I'm on round three of a house that needs TLC. It's exhausting; I'm on year 17 of home renovations. I would say to really think about what you want and the order in which you want to accomplish it. For example, the flooring may suck, but would it make sense to redo it first? I made bad decisions on my current house because I purchased it in 2020, and the prices of the materials were so high that I opted not to do things I should've. Looking back, spending an extra $2–3K more would have improved my life and functionality of the house. And it definitely would've made the house easier to sell when the time comes. Final input: don't start projects you can't afford to finish or don't have the time to finish."
11."More land. I have 1/4 acres, but I want at least five. I want enough space to not hear anyone's car driving — just birds, the wind, and maybe a creek."
12."I would learn more about the neighbors before buying so I don't end up with another complete asshole next door."
13."I would get nine-foot ceilings. I didn't know it was an option, but I wish I'd asked for them. I regret this regularly."
14."I'd pay for my own inspection and not trust the one the realtor provided."
15."If you can swing it, keep an apartment for a few months while you fix up the new house. It's so much easier to tackle 'whole-house' projects in an empty home (floors, painting, electrical, basement waterproofing, etc.). For single-room projects, it's not hard to clear a room, but for major ones, it's nice not to be constantly moving and covering whatever you've brought into the house."
16."I would avoid a home near a forest — get one with no overhanging trees and a flat backyard. There were homes similar in price to mine like that that I could've gone for. There are far fewer maintenance issues if you don't have trees directly overhanging the house, mice, and squirrels coming in from the forest, etc."
17.Lastly: "My next house, I'm either buying one that I built or that is damn near ready to move in. This is my third house in eight years that has required renovations. I'm burnt out, man. I don't mind a small thing or a larger project here and there, but constantly looking over my head for things that need to be done is exhausting. I just want something that's completed so I can work on stuff that's enjoyable."
If you're a homeowner, what would you do differently if you bought a new house? What do you regret or wish you had known? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your response using this form!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
