Any SINGLE WOMEN Homeowners...

[Tikitoi]

Hoping to hear from you in what made you decide to buy a house being a single woman. I know we can do anything! But some of us may not be so comfortable with going through that process if we are not the "jack of all trades" type.

I may be going through this process in the very near future, because there is a home I am very interested in and am thinking about putting in a bid on it.

I'm just kind of worried too about when things go wrong, because I know with my car when things go wrong with it, I almost go crazy.

So what was your motivation and how do you deal with things when/if they go wrong with your home.

 

[dakcp2001]

I bought a home at 23 when I was single. I chose a small home in an in between neighborhood. Good for commuting. I had a lot of electrical and plumbing issues. It was a huge expense to redo it all, I took my time and redid things over a few years. The floors, carpet, paint, appliances. Made it exactly what I wanted and I loved it! Then I met my husband, he got transferred and we had to sell it. . I loved that house and my independence. I do recommend getting a good alarm system. Safety and feeling secure us very important. get to know your neighbors. Get recommendations on on tractors from people you trust. Home Depot has some cool do it herself workshops.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Purchased my first home, on my own at 25. I had no concerns what's so ever really, it was cheaper than renting and both my parents where nearby so I knew if anything ever happened (repair wise) that I had family to help me out.

 

[amj]

I purchased my home over 15 years ago I am very happy. I have a good alarm system, home repairs have not been bad. I have brothers who help me out, or I hire someone to do the work. You might want to think about a condo or townhouse where some of the upkeep is included in your monthly fees. good luck and best wishes in whatever you decided to do.

 

[Mokat76]

I am single and have owned several homes. When things go wrong you fix them or hire someone to do it. No biggie. Here are some basic bits of advice.

1. Get a good, thorough home inspection before you buy. Be there for the inspection and ask questions. Read the report thoroughly. Read it again. Annotate the things you want fixed before you close the deal and stick to your guns. Don't be bullied out of them but at the same time don't expect everything to be perfect. Your realtor should be able to help you with this.

2. Get a decent toolkit and easy to follow "how-to" book. There are a lot of simple repairs and improvements you can do on your own. The sense of satisfaction at having done so is wonderful!

3. Know where your utility shut-offs are in the house you buy. Water, electric and gas if you have it. Nothing worse than not knowing where to shut things off in an emergency.

4. Buying a house is a business decision. Yes, you should like it, but stay clearheaded. Don't be seduced by a pretty facade. The structure (the bones and guts) is more important. Be prepared to walk away.

5. Neighborhood is important. You can't move the house. Even though you're single, pay attention to schools. The next buyer might have kids.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Purchased my first home, on my own at 25. I had no concerns what's so ever really, it was cheaper than renting and both my parents where nearby so I knew if anything ever happened (repair wise) that I had family to help me out.

You sound like my daughter. I do more work at her house than at mine!

 

[Feralpeg]

I've never been married. I'm living in my fourth home. I have always done everything to care for my homes, including any home maintenance and lawn care.
I gutted and remodeled a bathroom in my first home. I've changed out light fixtures, put in new plumbing, built walls and totally finished a basement by myself since my adventure in home ownership began.

I hated living in an apartment. I like to change things up and apartments were too restrictive. I wanted a place that I could make my own, have large dogs and build equity. I also hated the noise and close proximity of neighbors in an apartment.

OP, you can do anything. The question is would you enjoy doing so? When I needed to do something, I bought a book and figured it out. It was a challenge, sometimes, but I came out of it with a great deal of satisfaction. It got trickier when I had a baby, but I figured out how to make it work. Thank goodness for baby monitors and sisters willing to babysit! lol!

I am 61 now and find I'm slowing down. Unfortunately, having chemo for breast cancer, hasn't helped. I love doing my own yard and home maintenance, but found doing the yard in Florida heat impossible right now. I had to hire someone to do it. I miss having the energy that allowed me to tackle anything. I watch all the house flipping shows and would so enjoy doing one, but think that is beyond me now.

OP, even if you don't want to do things yourself, owning a home definitely has its perks. There are always people you can hire, if necessary. Just do your research before hiring someone. Not all repair people are equally skilled or have integrity.

 

[Gina]

I bought my house in '01, because I wanted a real place for DS and myself. But in all honesty, I never thought I would be single this long, and not sure I would have done it if I thought I would be. But I *hate* all that fixing/gardening/general home stuff... If I change a lightbulb, that's a major home improvement project, lol. I truly get no joy from fixing things around the house myself. But the tax breaks are nice, and I like not flushing rent money away every month. Now I just have to spend it on repair people when things go wrong.

I don't regret buying a house, but you do have to know yourself. Or have the $$ to hire people to do stuff.

just my .02

 

[Surfinpiratee]

I will/might be buying a condo soon with my boyfriend. We will be 22, and it is SO cheaper than renting.. together we probably make about 40,000 a year, so I'm pretty nervous..

 

[ugadog99]

I'm going to go the other way. I HATE owning my house. It is too much for me to handle! I cannot wait to get out of it and may never own again.

 

[avgeek81]

I bought my house about 2 years ago. I didnt like renting because I felt like I couldn't do anything to change stuff. I didn't want to hang shelves or put up pictures because I didn't want to have to cover the holes and I always worried about keeping everything very clean.

I had some savings so I was able to put down a decent down payment. My mortgage including taxes and insurance is half of what most people pay on rent. I looked at about a dozen houses. Three of them I liked enough to have my friend's husband go back and look at them with me. We narrowed it down to 2 and my offer was excepted on one of them. I had a home inspection done by a company that was highly recommended.

I try to do most lawn care and home maintenance myself. I use ehow,com and youtube videos. When I need help I ask my friend's husband or my neighbor for help. I have friends at work who have offered their husbands services as well.

 

[Mom21]

I'm going to go the other way. I HATE owning my house. It is too much for me to handle! I cannot wait to get out of it and may never own again.

This!! Hate, hate, hate it. Unless it wouldn't bother you to have to come up with several thousand at a moments notice or unless you have close family or friends that are able to help you then I say DON'T DO IT.

 

[House_of_Mouse Fan]

I am a single homeowner since my divorce. I am pretty handy and I like the challenge of figuring stuff out. Having said that, I'm still not comfortable tackling anything to do with water or electricity Things will go wrong from time to time, and sometimes it seems like the repairs are never going to end (2012 was one of those years for me!). Two pieces of advice for you: get a good handyperson who can help with those jobs that you can't or don't want to do, and go with the flow. You can't control when things are going to go wrong (and they will) so it's best not to get too upset about it. In the end, you still own your little piece of paradise

Good luck!

 

[Tozzie]

I started with a coop apartment and then after my father died I received a nice inheritence and I wanted a house, I was so tired of the nonsense with the coop and coop board and I wanted a dog and German Shepherd so I bought my house. I learned watching my dad growing up how to fix things and actually learned things on my own, I can change light switches, but to hang a new fixture I would get someone to do it for me. I am lucky in that respect as I work with mostly men who are handy and can tell how to do something. I pay someone to cut my grass, and if I need something done and can't do it myself I will hire someone to do it.

I love living in my house, yes a couple of times over the past few years I have been overwhelmed or so I thought, it was usually when something else was going on and I let myself get overwhelmed but I absolutely love it so much freedom. If you can afford it go for it.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I bought my own house two years ago at 27. My parents do not live too far if I need help with repairs or that type of thing. I have learned how to fix a lot in the past couple years and love living here. I also agree with the others that said get a good alarm system-it made me feel safer in the house right away.

 

[RadioNate]

I bought a townhouse w/a condo association so I wouldn't have to mow or shovel in the winter. I hate gardening or landscaping so I happily paid someone for that when I was still in the house.

The rest I do on my own or hire someone.

I had my basement finished when I moved in & that contractor has been invaluable. He doesn't do handy man jobs but he'll always provide a referral for a plumber or electrician if I've needed one.

I don't think there has been much that has happened that I've been overwhelmed by.

 

[wishing4PA]

I was 27 (?) when I bought my house. I had lived with my parents after college and kept looking at houses and condos with my Mom because it was in booming Florida and there was always something new to look at. It was fun. Plus as a kid I used to draw houseplans for fun, so I enjoyed seeing what went into real houses. But I never could bring myself to commit to living in Florida. It's hot there. Cockroaches. Flat. Ugh. Other than Disney and the Florida culture which I generally like, it just wasn't a place I wanted to stay.
Then I got a job in Pennsylvania. Loved it. Liked my apartment. Hated the restrictions (really, no TV after 10 PM?) And didn't like the idea of rent.
Had a house built as soon as I found a builder I could afford. Since it was new, I didn't really worry about things going wrong, but in the area I lived in, if I needed to hire help, I could generally trust that they were going to treat me right and not take advantage of me being a young female. I only had a few things I had to pay for help with. At that time, being young and having fairly recently watched my Dad replace light fixtures, etc., I didn't find the idea intimidating so I got books (this was pre-google) and basic home equipment, and tackled everything. Realized in the middle of putting up a flourescent fixture in my kitchen that the new fixture was way to big to hold up and attach at the same time while standing on a ladder, but perhaps it helped to be a young single woman because when I asked my next door neighbor if he could help hold it, he didn't hesitate. I had awesome neighbors who I think kind of looked after me.
My garden areas looked great. My Mom & Dad helped me terrace the sloped back yard with rebar and rail ties, though. I don't know that I could have tackled that alone either. So, I can't say I really did it all myself. I think I had more confidence than ability, lol, but it all worked out.

Now I'm married, and DH is such a man's man when it comes to home maintenance, I fear how I will ever get along without him. The idea of me now changing light fixtures, running phone lines, etc., well, it's intimidating! And it's hard for me to believe I ever did some of those things. But I guess you get along and manage when you need to, one way or the other!

As long as you are in an area where you can hire reliable help if you need to, go for it!

 

[Tikitoi]

I've never been married. I'm living in my fourth home. I have always done everything to care for my homes, including any home maintenance and lawn care.
I gutted and remodeled a bathroom in my first home. I've changed out light fixtures, put in new plumbing, built walls and totally finished a basement by myself since my adventure in home ownership began.

I hated living in an apartment. I like to change things up and apartments were too restrictive. I wanted a place that I could make my own, have large dogs and build equity. I also hated the noise and close proximity of neighbors in an apartment.

OP, you can do anything. The question is would you enjoy doing so? When I needed to do something, I bought a book and figured it out. It was a challenge, sometimes, but I came out of it with a great deal of satisfaction. It got trickier when I had a baby, but I figured out how to make it work. Thank goodness for baby monitors and sisters willing to babysit! lol!

I am 61 now and find I'm slowing down. Unfortunately, having chemo for breast cancer, hasn't helped. I love doing my own yard and home maintenance, but found doing the yard in Florida heat impossible right now. I had to hire someone to do it. I miss having the energy that allowed me to tackle anything. I watch all the house flipping shows and would so enjoy doing one, but think that is beyond me now.

OP, even if you don't want to do things yourself, owning a home definitely has its perks. There are always people you can hire, if necessary. Just do your research before hiring someone. Not all repair people are equally skilled or have integrity.

I find myself as I am getting older that I want more of a home rather than a place to live. So I feel the need to want to buy things to put up in my place but since living in an apartment, I do not. I want to paint and decorate so much. I would be more than willing to take care of things like the lawn etc.

It does scare me about major problems occurring, such as plumbing and electrical problems. I geuss watching too much of shows like Dateline where they find so many dishonest repair people in business. And I am single in that my father is not around and my brother well, he doesn't know anything about repairs like these. I have a brother in law who will attempt repairs, but I have seen his work and I would say no thank you. So aside from being "single", I would have to look for good honest repairmen.

Sorry for what you are going through and the fact that you are not able to do too much. I certainly wish you well and appreciate your story.

I bought my house in '01, because I wanted a real place for DS and myself. But in all honesty, I never thought I would be single this long, and not sure I would have done it if I thought I would be. But I *hate* all that fixing/gardening/general home stuff... If I change a lightbulb, that's a major home improvement project, lol. I truly get no joy from fixing things around the house myself. But the tax breaks are nice, and I like not flushing rent money away every month. Now I just have to spend it on repair people when things go wrong.

I don't regret buying a house, but you do have to know yourself. Or have the $$ to hire people to do stuff.

just my .02

That is what I am looking at too, is not paying rent to someone, just building equity.

I'm going to go the other way. I HATE owning my house. It is too much for me to handle! I cannot wait to get out of it and may never own again.

LOL..Thanks for your honesty. And this is where I wonder if I will get to? I geuss I won't know until I make that leap.

 

[cbg1027]

I inherited a house 8 years in to a 30 year mortgage. So I didn't have to go through the loan and buying process, but I got the house as a single girl at 26. Luckily, I was pretty well versed on what's involved with home maintenance since my mother owned rental properties.

It's NEVER-ENDING! Sometime's it's exhausting. But I like being able to do what I want to the house. Of course I've never rented in my life, so I don't know what the other side is like. I always lived in a house my mother owned, so I was semi-responsible for the home maintenance.

If you're not mechanically inclined and handy, I would find a good handyman and get them on speed dial!

Some things really require a professional, but I have suprised myself over the years by what I can actually do with a little help from some videos on the internet!

I actually just removed and re-installed a dishwasher all by myself!

I don't know what a good resource would be, but you should learn the things to have inspected on a regular basis.

I met my DF 2.5 years ago and thought "oh yeah I can hand him the 'man stuff' and he can deal with". But as it turns out, he is not mechanically inclined and so bad an engineering. It's a good thing I could do a lot myself because I still have to be the one to do it!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Not single however my dh is also not "home improvement inclined". We pay for major home improvements. Although if I was single, I would probably tackle a lot more things on my own.

That being said, I am the one who mows, landscapes, paints, exterminates, power washes, etc...

Just because you are married does not mean you have a partner who does those things. (He does work on cars though. That is his thing. )