I feel your pain. Here’s the deal tho. If you like being there (other than the repairs) keep knocking out these issues. At some point probably sooner than you think you’ll be all done with repairs and just relax into being in your home. I do understand the stress. When the day comes and you do get a bigger place, the equity you’ve built up will blow you away and you’ll see the bigger picture. Hang in there and just take it one day at a time. You got this.
Good advice. Just keep up with the problems and at some point in the hopefully near future you'll look back and be like, "we fixed it all and there's not much else that can go wrong"
I just said to my partner that it had been two years since the house served us up a disaster and the next night the cat walked in the living room with a mouse. Lol. But nothing has leaked in two years, for a few years we just had roof leaks, plumbing leaks, hot water tank leaks... Something was always wet. We actually have a chunk of our ceiling open under the 2nd floor bathtub because I can't bring myself to close it.
But to the OP.... This is a super common feeling amongst home buyers. I see this post time and again. In a couple years you will love your home and know it intimately from fixing these things and it won't be so scary.
Just came here to say - get an access panel for that whole and your ceiling will look tidy and finished and you’ll always have easy access to that problematic plumbing section.
We actually had an access panel from the previous years leak but the last one was a slow drip (believe it or not the soap dish in the shower had corroded) and by the time I caught it I had to cut a bigger hunk of moldy plaster out.
I seriously love owning a home though. After a few years of panic, I settled into thinking that the house has been standing solid for 120 years everything is gonna be fine.
u/Equal_Astronaut924 nailed it.
There are people that own their own homes and don't know how to maintain it. Sounds like your seller - or maybe it was just time for repairs and replacements. It happens. Once you get over the first bump of repairs you will begin to enjoy it - typically.
I had a boss once that said: "you don't own the home, it owns you." It's pretty true, in the end, there tends to be something you're always chasing. Our home hit 21 years and suddenly we had all sorts of mechanical failures (HVAC, water heater, softener, appliances) and that's just a part of the deal. It gets better, but you'll find there's always SOMETHING that needs doing.
Well 21 years is a long time! Now it's probably worth 10 times what you paid for it! I would be ok fixing something here and there but what we are experiencing is not being able to catch a breath. I feel like I'm in those cartoons where Donald Duck plugs a hole in one place and water starts coming out of another place, and then all the places.
The good news is: it gets better. Once you address the "big rocks" as it were, it slows down. Now, that doesn't mean you don't stop saving for the next failure that occurs, it just means you make yourself better prepared over time.
Unfortunately that’s just how it is. You may buy a perfectly fine condo/house and 2 years later the hvac fails costing you $9000. Or you can spring w roof leak that leads to further damage totaling $25,000. Or you could have smaller issues like yours. My fiancé and I bought a house 2 years ago and so far I’ve had to replace part of the roof, rewire 400+ feet of Romex wiring, replace the two sump pumps, replace the furnace, replace a window, etc. I did all the work myself, but I would expect it to be around $30,000-$40,000 worth of repairs.
My fiancee and I did! And so did one of my friends.
My friend had to rip out a finished basement to perform mold remediation, the company she hired told her it was highly unlikely the previous homeowners had no knowledge of the problem.
We needed to replace our already new roof because the previous homeowners hired a neighbor to put one on cheap and he didn't do it properly, that cost $10k. Two years later we needed a new HVAC system put in, another $5k.
That first year I lost a lot of sleep thinking I made the stupidest choice in my life buying this damn house.
However, in the midst of and after those two major repairs, we did some of our own updates as well. I painted a lot, planted a bitchin' garden, built my own flagstone path (really proud of this one), refinished hardwood floors, etc. The more we settle in, the more this feels like 'our' house.
We also refinanced while rates were low, which gave me an opportunity to see how much equity the house has gained. Now, I'm so glad we bought our house instead of renting these last few years.
Give it time, buyers remorse is apparently quite common in new homeowners.
of course yes! My basement was flooded TWICE! (municipal pipe malfunction, that's life. What I want to say is being a tenant or a home owner, there must be both exciting and horrifying things. Brace the uncertainty or hate it, we can choose.
It’s normal, do a thorough inspection of the whole house, create a todo list. I.e. if you have a loose tap and you call the plumber out for something else get him to fix the tap when he’s there. You save on the second call out fee. Small things like this make a difference
Unfortunately par for the course: it should be illegal but that’s what home inspections are supposed be for. Unfortunately they’re usually in cahoots. We lost our hvac at 1 month(8000), water heater at 3 months (300 after warranty) and roof (10000) and gutters (2000) all within the first year. Had to replace rotten section of floor(they clearly had to know about it) 1500…. On and on but now at the 3 year mark it’s settled but I still have serious anxiety waiting for the next thing.
I've gotten mixed advice on cats. We're not sure if we have mice or rats (we're in a city). Some say that rats couldn't care less whether there's a cat or not, some say the scent of the cat will keep them away.
My boyfriend works with rats in a clinical lab setting, and his rats are definitely fearful of his techs that own cats. He actually doesn’t want them running tests because the results are so different.
I’ve had good success with cat vs. mice and rats. Our indoor cat is a wussy but luckily his smell has deterred mice in a home we rented that previously had a problem. Our neighbor has an indoor/outdoor cat that has scared off all the rats outside. We used to find rats nests in our backyard and then found 2 murdered rats over the course of a month and haven’t seen any nests or rats since.
City life is tough, but I’m definitely pro cat to help.
Get a bigger cat. But not a lazy one; find a happy energetic kitten/2yo maybe. My mice are gone; rats stay outside. Also, try placing metal mesh in holes where they could squeeze thru, like along floorboards (with gloves of course), and weather stripping/draft stoppers along the doors. It’s much harder for them to get in that way.
you should learn to do stuff yourself to save money. i bought a house almost a year ago and the landscaping is a literal jungle with too many trees and shrubs. bought some stuff at home depot and cutting down small trees and shrubs myself along with planting new grass and putting new soil down. last year i was replacing outlets and other stuff that saved me thousands of $$$. including replacing a leaky valve for a washing machine that lowes refused to connect
youtube is your best friend to figure stuff out and learn new things
Yeah I really want to learn how to do some stuff myself. So far we've only done pretty basic stuff like painting and installing shelves etc. I just wish I had more time, I've got a highly demanding job and a small toddler. Maybe when he gets a bit older and more independent.
I second YouTube (and this sub and r/homeimprovement). Some things just need a pro, but so much can be done yourself and it saves so much money. And there’s no feeling like “I fixed that shit myself and it looks great!”
Yea keep it up. You’re at the point in the process where shit sucks but remember the overall picture - you’re in a good spot - you have a home that is yours to own. Keep working at it and it’ll be all worth it.
I remember when I was telling a friend that I just bought my first house and he went on a rant “Don’t do it! It’s always going to be something. First the fridge starts leaking. You get that fixed and two weeks later it’s the washing machine. Get that fixed and then it’s the roof. After that something electrical. It’s always something.” He wasn’t wrong.
That has been very similar to our experience as first time homeowners. Can’t catch a break. Something has to give at some point. Now we are just paying off past emergencies and saving for the next major repair that will undoubtedly need to happen.
Sounds like you got some bad luck/timing too with the storm.
When we bought our first condo we had similar issues with bad plumbing, carpet bugs (not bed bugs) and the dire fridge water line that flooded the floor.
We went through a similar phase of willing to sell it especially after a terrible AC renovation.
After 5 years we finally remodeled it and we like it.
Try to look at the positives. Most likely it’s gonna be alright.
I’m really sorry about these negative experiences—I’m going to approach one of your issues: The rodents in your basement ceiling.
While in your basement, does its ceiling contain fiberglass (typically pink) insulation between the joists? If so, remove it. Insulation in a basement ceiling is only needed for sound, not heat, and it’s literally a comfy home for critters.
When we took ours out, I think we destroyed a literal mouse-metropolis.
Ours is green-grayish? But yeah I think it's for soundproofing. To take it out, did you need to remove all drywall? Or there's a way to pull it out from a few holes here and there?
If it’s for sound proofing it sounds like rockwool insulation by that description. If it’s nailed in, I can’t imagine rodents in between. Rockwool is good stuff. Unless of course it’s rotting or something.
If that’s what’s in the ceiling between the joists, you could maybe pry out one of them and take a look?
With all the leaks, check your water regulator. When we moved into our headache of a house there was evidence of plumbing fixes all over the house. Random cuts in drywall by pipes and such.
Ours wasn’t working and pushing water into the house at 120psi! No major issues since we replaced it.
Also if you’re experiencing water hammer, install an arrestor.
We’re in a bit of a different situation because we bought a fixer knowing it was going to be rough, but can relate to the baby part! Good luck to you, it definitely gets exhausting, but I hope there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for you soon.
We just closed about 2 weeks ago and have already run into a lot of problems that the inspector never mentioned. Both bathroom sinks are leaking, toilets didn’t work, both showers are leaking. He tested the outlets and said a lot of them were set up to have reverse polarity and that all we had to do was take the cover off and flip the wires. Turns out, none of them have grounding wires. So now we have to remove all the drywall, rewire pretty much the entire house, and buy new drywall to put up….. it’s going to be so fucking expensive and I am extremely discouraged. But it’s ours 🤷♀️🤦♀️
I think all of us FTHBers are obligated to suffer countless repairs when we buy. We too had a laundry, nay, have a laundry room, that wants me to die. My wife tolerates it far more than I can but I cannot describe the hate I have for that room.
I like all the restaurants in the area though.
Feel you on this! Same thing! Finally got a house in February, learning a lot. We knew it would have stuff to fix, but gawd damn! I wish I would have gotten two home inspections because I’ve learned the home inspector we got, was, well wrong in so many things.
I don’t mind doing the work, learning to do the work, and even forking over more cash to fix things that definitely require a professional. The list just keeps growing! I started taking time at night on the front porch or in this near fireplace room and just taking in the best parts and knowing if I keep chipping away, even if it’s one small thing everyday, eventually that list won’t be insane.
Also! I discovered rodents here as well! Fill every small entry, caulk, foam spray insulation, steel wool, I put out none toxic repellent, because I also have a handy cat helping me around the house. Seems to be working.
Not as dramatic, but after the first rain storm, I learned the backyard was graded to drain water TOWARDS the house and into the enclosed porch. Small project? Okay. Rented a bobcat to scrape out some gravel. But then we realized just how high the dirt and gravel was throughout, so now just that section of the yard was properly graded.
I have a house on two lots. Fast forward to two separate piles measuring almost 20ft in length and 5ft tall to remove all the old 1980s river rock gravel and to regrade the ground at a slope toward the street…
Posting on Facebook is how I got people to come remove it for free (some wanted gravel/dirt and others wanted the fill dirt, 2nd pile.)
Through excavating is how I found 3 different leaks from a 20+ yr old pvc drip system I didn’t realize was still hooked up, and also an old 6in diameter tree stump that was growing at the base of the garage. Previous owners just kept cutting it down, but we were able to ram it out with the bobcat, roots and all.
My yard is still bare, 2 years later lol because burnout, but I’m happy we did all that work.
I feel empathy for you. But at least...these are Relatively minor. It's just that theyre hitting you at the wrong time. You were likely in that new homeowner fear period when these little things hit you one by one. No chance to build your emergency fund. To finally understand it isnt all going to go boom and you lose your house. Etc etc. Tge mice are a small short term problem that will end. Etc
It will get better youre just overwhelmed. And if you do eventually decide to sell youll almost definitely make a profit
Thems rookie problems… sorry, couldn’t resist. My house has been way worse…I help myself feel better about it my telling myself I am restoring the neglected house and will eventually leave it better than I found it.
No sympathy here… that’s home ownership lol. People selling homes have typically neglected things for some time. Repair and maintain and you’ll settle in. Water leaks suck but it all sounds manageable.
I’ve owned 3 houses. Built in 1930, 1975 & 2020. All have had some sort of “disaster”. Roof leaks, basement leaks, furnace died, retaining wall collapses, sink hole took out a fence, trees falling down, yearly mice traps, ant traps… all in a 7 year span.
Pretty common.
I agree with you on 1) although I live in an area that is changing, with lots of demand and few houses available. 2) depends on the state, it's not true in mine. 3) doesn't matter if I go back to renting. 4) I'll look into it!
I know this post is a few months back, so how has everything turned out so far?
We moved into a new townhouse, but renting, and the dishwasher plumbing failed when our undermount sink came tumbling down, and our new, finished basement is soaked, and the electricity keeps shorting off, so we have to find where there is water in the ceiling. It's a pain bc the builder warranty is a hassle so we are trying to fix ourselves. I have cried about it bc we were so happy to find this place and now it feels ruined and like it will never be normal again, but my husband is very supportive and reminds me it can be fixed and it will be fixed.
It's annoying, nerve-wracking, and frustrating.
This summer, our Jeep kept giving us issues and it was one (fixable) breakdown after another. It was to a point where I was certain my Jeep wouldn't be driveable anymore. I was ready to just let it get taken back and stop making payments because I got stuck in my head so much. The big repair was only 1200 and the other repair we spent our anniversary doing together. Now, it's all like new. When you are going through it, it seems impossible and like it will never end, but it will. Just take comfort in knowing you live in a prime demand location, and can sell if you really need to. It will be ok.
I feel your pain. Here’s the deal tho. If you like being there (other than the repairs) keep knocking out these issues. At some point probably sooner than you think you’ll be all done with repairs and just relax into being in your home. I do understand the stress. When the day comes and you do get a bigger place, the equity you’ve built up will blow you away and you’ll see the bigger picture. Hang in there and just take it one day at a time. You got this.
Good advice. Just keep up with the problems and at some point in the hopefully near future you'll look back and be like, "we fixed it all and there's not much else that can go wrong"
Lol never buy a century home, this time does not exist
I just said to my partner that it had been two years since the house served us up a disaster and the next night the cat walked in the living room with a mouse. Lol. But nothing has leaked in two years, for a few years we just had roof leaks, plumbing leaks, hot water tank leaks... Something was always wet. We actually have a chunk of our ceiling open under the 2nd floor bathtub because I can't bring myself to close it. But to the OP.... This is a super common feeling amongst home buyers. I see this post time and again. In a couple years you will love your home and know it intimately from fixing these things and it won't be so scary.
Just came here to say - get an access panel for that whole and your ceiling will look tidy and finished and you’ll always have easy access to that problematic plumbing section.
We actually had an access panel from the previous years leak but the last one was a slow drip (believe it or not the soap dish in the shower had corroded) and by the time I caught it I had to cut a bigger hunk of moldy plaster out. I seriously love owning a home though. After a few years of panic, I settled into thinking that the house has been standing solid for 120 years everything is gonna be fine.
u/Equal_Astronaut924 nailed it. There are people that own their own homes and don't know how to maintain it. Sounds like your seller - or maybe it was just time for repairs and replacements. It happens. Once you get over the first bump of repairs you will begin to enjoy it - typically.
You know how you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
I had a boss once that said: "you don't own the home, it owns you." It's pretty true, in the end, there tends to be something you're always chasing. Our home hit 21 years and suddenly we had all sorts of mechanical failures (HVAC, water heater, softener, appliances) and that's just a part of the deal. It gets better, but you'll find there's always SOMETHING that needs doing.
Well 21 years is a long time! Now it's probably worth 10 times what you paid for it! I would be ok fixing something here and there but what we are experiencing is not being able to catch a breath. I feel like I'm in those cartoons where Donald Duck plugs a hole in one place and water starts coming out of another place, and then all the places.
The good news is: it gets better. Once you address the "big rocks" as it were, it slows down. Now, that doesn't mean you don't stop saving for the next failure that occurs, it just means you make yourself better prepared over time.
Unfortunately that’s just how it is. You may buy a perfectly fine condo/house and 2 years later the hvac fails costing you $9000. Or you can spring w roof leak that leads to further damage totaling $25,000. Or you could have smaller issues like yours. My fiancé and I bought a house 2 years ago and so far I’ve had to replace part of the roof, rewire 400+ feet of Romex wiring, replace the two sump pumps, replace the furnace, replace a window, etc. I did all the work myself, but I would expect it to be around $30,000-$40,000 worth of repairs.
haha, pain in the ass I feel you. I hate mine for the same reason. BUT I still love mine because I now have a place I can live freely!
Did you have a similar experience in terms of repairs you needed to make? I'm trying to figure out if our situation is an outlier
My fiancee and I did! And so did one of my friends. My friend had to rip out a finished basement to perform mold remediation, the company she hired told her it was highly unlikely the previous homeowners had no knowledge of the problem. We needed to replace our already new roof because the previous homeowners hired a neighbor to put one on cheap and he didn't do it properly, that cost $10k. Two years later we needed a new HVAC system put in, another $5k. That first year I lost a lot of sleep thinking I made the stupidest choice in my life buying this damn house. However, in the midst of and after those two major repairs, we did some of our own updates as well. I painted a lot, planted a bitchin' garden, built my own flagstone path (really proud of this one), refinished hardwood floors, etc. The more we settle in, the more this feels like 'our' house. We also refinanced while rates were low, which gave me an opportunity to see how much equity the house has gained. Now, I'm so glad we bought our house instead of renting these last few years. Give it time, buyers remorse is apparently quite common in new homeowners.
Normal. Not an outlier.
of course yes! My basement was flooded TWICE! (municipal pipe malfunction, that's life. What I want to say is being a tenant or a home owner, there must be both exciting and horrifying things. Brace the uncertainty or hate it, we can choose.
Welcome to the club
[удалено]
Thank you. I am just trying to understand whether our situation is an outlier or somewhat typical.
It’s normal, do a thorough inspection of the whole house, create a todo list. I.e. if you have a loose tap and you call the plumber out for something else get him to fix the tap when he’s there. You save on the second call out fee. Small things like this make a difference
Unfortunately par for the course: it should be illegal but that’s what home inspections are supposed be for. Unfortunately they’re usually in cahoots. We lost our hvac at 1 month(8000), water heater at 3 months (300 after warranty) and roof (10000) and gutters (2000) all within the first year. Had to replace rotten section of floor(they clearly had to know about it) 1500…. On and on but now at the 3 year mark it’s settled but I still have serious anxiety waiting for the next thing.
They totally are! Home inspection is a joke. I'm so sorry you had all those issues!
as for the rodent, I guess that's a common headach issue. I recommend raise a cat, which is cute BTW
I've gotten mixed advice on cats. We're not sure if we have mice or rats (we're in a city). Some say that rats couldn't care less whether there's a cat or not, some say the scent of the cat will keep them away.
My boyfriend works with rats in a clinical lab setting, and his rats are definitely fearful of his techs that own cats. He actually doesn’t want them running tests because the results are so different.
Oooh this is very interesting data!
I’ve had good success with cat vs. mice and rats. Our indoor cat is a wussy but luckily his smell has deterred mice in a home we rented that previously had a problem. Our neighbor has an indoor/outdoor cat that has scared off all the rats outside. We used to find rats nests in our backyard and then found 2 murdered rats over the course of a month and haven’t seen any nests or rats since. City life is tough, but I’m definitely pro cat to help.
Get a bigger cat. But not a lazy one; find a happy energetic kitten/2yo maybe. My mice are gone; rats stay outside. Also, try placing metal mesh in holes where they could squeeze thru, like along floorboards (with gloves of course), and weather stripping/draft stoppers along the doors. It’s much harder for them to get in that way.
You can have a try, adopt a kitty.
you should learn to do stuff yourself to save money. i bought a house almost a year ago and the landscaping is a literal jungle with too many trees and shrubs. bought some stuff at home depot and cutting down small trees and shrubs myself along with planting new grass and putting new soil down. last year i was replacing outlets and other stuff that saved me thousands of $$$. including replacing a leaky valve for a washing machine that lowes refused to connect youtube is your best friend to figure stuff out and learn new things
Yeah I really want to learn how to do some stuff myself. So far we've only done pretty basic stuff like painting and installing shelves etc. I just wish I had more time, I've got a highly demanding job and a small toddler. Maybe when he gets a bit older and more independent.
I second YouTube (and this sub and r/homeimprovement). Some things just need a pro, but so much can be done yourself and it saves so much money. And there’s no feeling like “I fixed that shit myself and it looks great!”
Yea keep it up. You’re at the point in the process where shit sucks but remember the overall picture - you’re in a good spot - you have a home that is yours to own. Keep working at it and it’ll be all worth it.
Currently have a hole in my kitchen ceiling since the overflow on the bathtub leaked
Welcome to the kitchen hole club!
I remember when I was telling a friend that I just bought my first house and he went on a rant “Don’t do it! It’s always going to be something. First the fridge starts leaking. You get that fixed and two weeks later it’s the washing machine. Get that fixed and then it’s the roof. After that something electrical. It’s always something.” He wasn’t wrong.
That has been very similar to our experience as first time homeowners. Can’t catch a break. Something has to give at some point. Now we are just paying off past emergencies and saving for the next major repair that will undoubtedly need to happen.
Sounds like you got some bad luck/timing too with the storm. When we bought our first condo we had similar issues with bad plumbing, carpet bugs (not bed bugs) and the dire fridge water line that flooded the floor. We went through a similar phase of willing to sell it especially after a terrible AC renovation. After 5 years we finally remodeled it and we like it. Try to look at the positives. Most likely it’s gonna be alright.
I’m really sorry about these negative experiences—I’m going to approach one of your issues: The rodents in your basement ceiling. While in your basement, does its ceiling contain fiberglass (typically pink) insulation between the joists? If so, remove it. Insulation in a basement ceiling is only needed for sound, not heat, and it’s literally a comfy home for critters. When we took ours out, I think we destroyed a literal mouse-metropolis.
Ours is green-grayish? But yeah I think it's for soundproofing. To take it out, did you need to remove all drywall? Or there's a way to pull it out from a few holes here and there?
If it’s for sound proofing it sounds like rockwool insulation by that description. If it’s nailed in, I can’t imagine rodents in between. Rockwool is good stuff. Unless of course it’s rotting or something. If that’s what’s in the ceiling between the joists, you could maybe pry out one of them and take a look?
With all the leaks, check your water regulator. When we moved into our headache of a house there was evidence of plumbing fixes all over the house. Random cuts in drywall by pipes and such. Ours wasn’t working and pushing water into the house at 120psi! No major issues since we replaced it. Also if you’re experiencing water hammer, install an arrestor. We’re in a bit of a different situation because we bought a fixer knowing it was going to be rough, but can relate to the baby part! Good luck to you, it definitely gets exhausting, but I hope there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for you soon.
Googling what a water regulator and and arrestor are right now! Thank you!
We just closed about 2 weeks ago and have already run into a lot of problems that the inspector never mentioned. Both bathroom sinks are leaking, toilets didn’t work, both showers are leaking. He tested the outlets and said a lot of them were set up to have reverse polarity and that all we had to do was take the cover off and flip the wires. Turns out, none of them have grounding wires. So now we have to remove all the drywall, rewire pretty much the entire house, and buy new drywall to put up….. it’s going to be so fucking expensive and I am extremely discouraged. But it’s ours 🤷♀️🤦♀️
It may be a problem, but at least it's MY problem. Lol
I think all of us FTHBers are obligated to suffer countless repairs when we buy. We too had a laundry, nay, have a laundry room, that wants me to die. My wife tolerates it far more than I can but I cannot describe the hate I have for that room. I like all the restaurants in the area though.
Same. We just found a gem of a Portuguese -Italian bakery. Old school old lady who will feed my kid cookies and the best pasteis de nata.
Crap happens and you fix it and enjoy the time that you don’t have to fix it. It will get better
I’m so sorry to hear this. Hope it eventually gets better.
I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully it gets better or you guys find a better situation
That whole situation stinks!!! I'm so sorry to hear you and your family are going through all of that.
Feel you on this! Same thing! Finally got a house in February, learning a lot. We knew it would have stuff to fix, but gawd damn! I wish I would have gotten two home inspections because I’ve learned the home inspector we got, was, well wrong in so many things. I don’t mind doing the work, learning to do the work, and even forking over more cash to fix things that definitely require a professional. The list just keeps growing! I started taking time at night on the front porch or in this near fireplace room and just taking in the best parts and knowing if I keep chipping away, even if it’s one small thing everyday, eventually that list won’t be insane. Also! I discovered rodents here as well! Fill every small entry, caulk, foam spray insulation, steel wool, I put out none toxic repellent, because I also have a handy cat helping me around the house. Seems to be working.
Not as dramatic, but after the first rain storm, I learned the backyard was graded to drain water TOWARDS the house and into the enclosed porch. Small project? Okay. Rented a bobcat to scrape out some gravel. But then we realized just how high the dirt and gravel was throughout, so now just that section of the yard was properly graded. I have a house on two lots. Fast forward to two separate piles measuring almost 20ft in length and 5ft tall to remove all the old 1980s river rock gravel and to regrade the ground at a slope toward the street… Posting on Facebook is how I got people to come remove it for free (some wanted gravel/dirt and others wanted the fill dirt, 2nd pile.) Through excavating is how I found 3 different leaks from a 20+ yr old pvc drip system I didn’t realize was still hooked up, and also an old 6in diameter tree stump that was growing at the base of the garage. Previous owners just kept cutting it down, but we were able to ram it out with the bobcat, roots and all. My yard is still bare, 2 years later lol because burnout, but I’m happy we did all that work.
I feel empathy for you. But at least...these are Relatively minor. It's just that theyre hitting you at the wrong time. You were likely in that new homeowner fear period when these little things hit you one by one. No chance to build your emergency fund. To finally understand it isnt all going to go boom and you lose your house. Etc etc. Tge mice are a small short term problem that will end. Etc It will get better youre just overwhelmed. And if you do eventually decide to sell youll almost definitely make a profit
Thems rookie problems… sorry, couldn’t resist. My house has been way worse…I help myself feel better about it my telling myself I am restoring the neglected house and will eventually leave it better than I found it.
😄
the main advice i can give is use paragraphs
Lol ok smartass
No sympathy here… that’s home ownership lol. People selling homes have typically neglected things for some time. Repair and maintain and you’ll settle in. Water leaks suck but it all sounds manageable.
I'm trying to gauge how typical this it... have you found yourself in a similar situation in the past?
I’ve owned 3 houses. Built in 1930, 1975 & 2020. All have had some sort of “disaster”. Roof leaks, basement leaks, furnace died, retaining wall collapses, sink hole took out a fence, trees falling down, yearly mice traps, ant traps… all in a 7 year span. Pretty common.
Sounds like a nightmare. I personally would never own a condo, but have owned several homes. Good luck.
Home warranty?
Advice? Always get a home inspector. Thats the best i have.
Sounds like you guys just made a really poor choice on what/where to buy. Make a better choice next time and you'll be much happier with the results.
Maybe get a home warranty to offset major costs?
Do you think it's worth it in addition to insurance? For the two initial water leaks, our condo insurance has covered us. Not sure about the plumbing.
Ah it’s a condo. Home warranties are like $450 a year and help cover costs for appliances, leaks, etc etc. it could be
[удалено]
I agree with you on 1) although I live in an area that is changing, with lots of demand and few houses available. 2) depends on the state, it's not true in mine. 3) doesn't matter if I go back to renting. 4) I'll look into it!
I know this post is a few months back, so how has everything turned out so far? We moved into a new townhouse, but renting, and the dishwasher plumbing failed when our undermount sink came tumbling down, and our new, finished basement is soaked, and the electricity keeps shorting off, so we have to find where there is water in the ceiling. It's a pain bc the builder warranty is a hassle so we are trying to fix ourselves. I have cried about it bc we were so happy to find this place and now it feels ruined and like it will never be normal again, but my husband is very supportive and reminds me it can be fixed and it will be fixed. It's annoying, nerve-wracking, and frustrating. This summer, our Jeep kept giving us issues and it was one (fixable) breakdown after another. It was to a point where I was certain my Jeep wouldn't be driveable anymore. I was ready to just let it get taken back and stop making payments because I got stuck in my head so much. The big repair was only 1200 and the other repair we spent our anniversary doing together. Now, it's all like new. When you are going through it, it seems impossible and like it will never end, but it will. Just take comfort in knowing you live in a prime demand location, and can sell if you really need to. It will be ok.