Reasons I Love Owning My Home

Last year, a loose ground wire in my fuse box caused too much power to surge through my house. Major appliances like the oven and refrigerator were fine. Everything that only used a little bit of power shorted out. I lost a computer, three televisions, a blow dryer, and I got to watch three different light bulbs explode. Apparently, this metal rod was the backup to prevent a power surge that would normally have been contained by the clay in the ground. But we were having a drought, and the ground was too dry. My insurance didn’t cover what I’d lost, but I was just grateful that the house didn’t burn down and my major appliances were still functioning. It’s expensive owning a home, and there’s always something that needs to be done. This is on top of the list most of us have of what we would like to do to upgrade our homes. Renting would’ve been easier and involved fewer surprises. But there are many intangible advantages to home ownership. Here are a few of my favorites.

My back yard. And a sense of place.

It’s my sanctuary. It would be nice if it were a little quieter. If the weather is nice enough to sit outside, then I can also count on the hum of my neighbors cutting their grass. But those trees just past that fence? Those are mine. And it’s amazing to think that I own this patch of the planet down to the core of the earth and up to the nearest star. What does this mean in real terms? Unless I find precious gems under that ground, not much. In another sense, it means everything. It means this is my place. This is where I belong.

 

Dogs.

 

Two dogs.  They are too big for an apartment, and too active to be without a back yard. One can jump over the fence. The expensive fence I bought so he could run around free. C'est la vie.

Equity = more choices.

I like that in the end, I will (fingers crossed) get some of what I invested living here back in equity. There’s no guarantee, as we all know. But paying rent guarantees that there will be no pay day after that last monthly check. And that last monthly check means moving out. My last monthly check will be a much happier occasion, and I’ll have the freedom to stay put or downsize.

Deductible interest.

This actually deserves to be on my list as an intangible, since I don’t really make enough money for this to make that much of a difference. But it makes me happy anyway.

Pride.

I get to say it’s mine. Or, if I’m honest, to say it is currently 30% mine.

My son can make noise.

This is something he can’t do at this dad’s apartment, because it bothers the neighbors. He can thump around, play with the dogs, or listen to loud music. Of course, this intangible matters more to me than to him. Because dad’s place has a clubhouse and a pool. But I like it.

As for the real estate career, it feels more like whitewater rafting. But I have learned a few things about the changes to mortgages starting January 1. More on that very soon.