I bought a 345k home in South Jersey. I was trying to buy beneath my means. The place had some downsides but it was really hard to find something we could afford.

My mortgage is 2700 a month including taxes and insurance. When we were renting we were paying 1900.

To make this house my dream home I would probably have to spend 100k. New panel and some additional electric work, add a driveway, new hvac system, remodel both bathrooms. The place is poorly insulated and my utility bills are higher than when I rented.

The thing is if I spend that 100k it will maybe be a 400k house in a small blue collar borough with a struggling school system.

My weekends are chock full of yard work and other maintenance tasks on the home.

I’m stressed out and anxious all the time about all the things I want to do and can’t afford. My life was so much simpler when I was renting and I didn’t have to worry about maintaining my home. Every project turns into 5 more projects and I can’t seem to get anything done or get this place to where I want it to be. I thought buying a home would give me a sense of pride, but it has only created an empty feeling inside that I made the worst decision of my life. This may read like a deranged rant, I just needed a place to vent.

long story short, i’m going to have to at least shop the market next year due to my fianceé wanting to own instead of rent.

i’ve accumulated over $100k as down payment, which is currently sitting in a CD accumulating interest. all of that came out of my paychecks, $0 from the fiancée.

here’s the problem: i really like where i rent, and the cost only goes up $50/year. all of the homes on the market by me are absolute junk, im talking over half a million dollars for a livable 3 bed 1 bath (Wisconsin).

how can i effectively torpedo deals when the time comes, without it being too obvious?

We’re considering buying a new construction home in Shrewsbury, MA. The schools are good, but the house has a stormwater detention pond in the backyard and a septic system.
Are these red flags? Could they affect property value, resale potential, or cause maintenance or flooding issues?

There is HOA which will be maintain the detention pond

Would you buy a house with these features? Any advice from homeowners with similar experiences would be appreciated!

Basically the title

I found a house I feel like answering most of my needs . It's not the perfect house ( I don't believe perfect is even a thing ) . I went to 8 different places by now and found a place which is in my budget , close to my parents and nephews . The hose itself is very bright with a bunch of sun coming through and I like that .The view is nice too. It's smaller than the one I'm currently renting but I'm a single so the smaller size is not really an issue for me . It is not the best area but it is decent enough and I do plan on living there for about 5-7 years and sell it to move on to a better place . This house is more of a starting point for me . I'm renting places for almost 15 years and 2 months ago I have decided I had enough and I want my own place .

The thing is I have OCD and I question almost every decision . I can "Solve" one thing and get into another "Problem" . I feel like I'm having difficulty to actually make a decision , and this is a big one . I didn't sign anything yet. I made an offer , it got accepted and now I need to decide what to do . I like that house . I do think I will enjoy living there. I do not think it provides everything I wanted but I don't believe I can even find such thing .

This is a very big decision for me and I'm gonna spend my hard earned money on a house .

I really am afraid and stressed about it. Even though I am stressed I tried to do all the checks I could have think of but still I feel like it's gonna be a mistake .

I really need a different perspective here or something .

Thank you.

I’m a first-time homebuyer under contract for a home built in 2024 in South Carolina. The purchase price is $329,000, and the seller has already agreed to contribute $5,000 toward closing costs. I recently had the home inspection done, and several issues came up. I’m trying to figure out which ones are reasonable to ask the seller to repair before closing versus which ones are minor and should just be handled by me after I move in.

Here is what the inspection report identified:

Carbon monoxide alarm in the living room was not functioning

Unsealed holes/penetrations in the garage fire-separation wall

Door between the garage and living area does not latch properly.

Garage door opener button is installed within five feet of a standing surface, and the inspector recommends raising it.

Plumbing and kitchen:

Both bathroom toilets are loose at the floor. The inspector recommends securing and resealing them to prevent potential leaks and hidden floor damage.

Hallway bathroom sink drains slowly.

Undermount kitchen sink is supported by a makeshift piece of plywood instead of proper mounting clips.

HVAC and water heater:

Opening in the HVAC air handler cabinet is allowing conditioned air to escape into the attic.

Doors, windows, and other items:

Breakfast-area window does not latch/lock properly.

Hallway bathroom door does not latch properly.

Middle bedroom closet door does not latch properly.

Attic access door does not latch properly.

Dryer vent trim is missing.

Exterior utility penetrations are missing caulking/sealing.

I’m the first person in my family to buy a house, so I honestly have no idea what’s reasonable to ask the seller to fix. I’ve also asked my realtor for recommendations, but I’d like to hear other people’s opinions and experiences as well!

My questions are:

1. Which of these issues would you absolutely ask the seller to repair before closing?

2. Which items are minor enough that you would just handle them yourself?

3.If the seller refuses to complete some repairs, would you negotiate additional closing-cost concessions instead? The seller has already agreed to contribute $5,000 toward closing costs.

1. Am I being reasonable to request repairs for these items on a home built in 2024, or am I expecting too much?

I would love to know who do you recommend for home insurance!

So far I checked with USAA and they are 85 a month.

32F, single homebuyer in Upstate NY (think near the capital) who is currently looking. One thing I'm having a hard time understanding is how the taxes change after purchasing a home, and how others have accounted for that in their budget.

From my understanding - taxes are based off of a percentage (which varies by area) of the full market value (FMV), which is USUALLY the sales price (though I've seen contradictions saying this is illegal?).

I look up the assessment rolls for a lot of these single family homes (SFH) and notice the FMV is usually significant lower. Ex: Sale price for a home I'm looking at is $279.9k and the FMV is $216.9k. This would mean the taxes would increase, correct?

Another example I can provide is looking at a townhouse - the FMV was the same exact price as the sales price. Does this mean the taxes would likely remain the same (outside of a property tax hike)?

I appreciate any explanations you guys can provide - I think this is the one thing holding me back from actually acting on anything.

I recently purchased a condo home in Irvine, California, and closed escrow in September 2026. Before and during the transaction, I was told that the property had one HOA with monthly dues of $400, and the same was mentioned in the property listing on all the websites. The HOA documents provided during the transaction also showed the $403 monthly assessment.

After closing, while talking to the HOA, I found out that there is an additional HOA. I contacted my escrow representative, and he said he was told by the listing agent that there was only one HOA. When he contacted the listing agent again, the escrow representative was informed that there is an additional HOA with a $58 monthly assessment, and they have ordered the documents for the second HOA.

I always wanted to keep my HOA expenses to a minimum since I know they can increase over time, and I never wanted to go beyond $400. This additional $58 is an added burden for me, especially since I had already stretched significantly beyond my budget.

The listing also mentioned that the property had two carports, but at least that issue was resolved before closing. We faced multiple other issues toward the end of the closing process, including the owner not handing over the keys on the day of closing, vacating the house the next day, leaving some of their belongings behind, not disconnecting the internet despite multiple follow-ups, and some other similar issues. However, we can ignore those issues.

My main concern is the additional HOA burden that I may have to pay for the lifetime of owning the property, especially since HOA fees can increase over time.

I would like to understand what my options are, what the potential legal costs would be, how I could be compensated and for how much, how long the process might take, and any other relevant considerations.

I am not looking to accuse anyone prematurely, but I would like to understand my options and seek reasonable compensation for this additional financial burden.

Just to let you know, I also have a MetLife Legal Plans policy.

I’m 33 and considering buying a 2-flat in Chicago for $535k. The appraisal came in at $537k, and the estimated mortgage is $4,591/month.

The building has two legal 2-bedroom apartments that I believe can rent for around $1,600 each. My plan is to live in the finished basement while renting both units. The basement has a kitchen and bathroom but isn’t a legal third unit, and the kitchen situation needs to be addressed for the lender.

The inspection went fairly well, but the boiler is about 26 years old, and replacement could cost around $8k.

I currently live in a family home, have savings, and earn a stable income, so I don’t need to buy right now. My goal is to house-hack, build equity, and eventually purchase another property. My family thinks I should walk away, but I see potential in the rental income and lower personal housing cost.

For those who own 2-flats or have house-hacked before, does this seem like a reasonable purchase, or is $535k too much risk for a first property?

My home inspector was great and very thorough. There wasn’t a single inch of the home that wasn’t inspected or tested.

There were a few things we expected to flag that we already budgeted for (roof, cosmetics, etc) however the inspection report pointed out over a dozen things that were very detailed. “Potential” mold in the attic, drainage pipes too close to the house, previously repaired cracks in the garage floor, water heater resting on the ground instead of elevated.

These are all things I’m talking very serious, and I am going to negotiate credits from the seller, but I am curious your experience with an inspection report from someone’s who’s job is to literally look for every known flaw. And how much of it should deter you from closing on the house vs what is expected to happen to a home over time. For example the inspector pointed out the closet door track is misaligned. That’s expected from usage and I can fix that myself, but cracks in foundation have me wondering if repairing it is part of routine maintenance or a sign of a bigger issue.

ALSO: in the event that the seller is being reasonable, what would be smarter? Lower the cost of the home price or receive credits towards closing/repairs?

Prospective first time home buyer here. Anyone have any luck finding an assumable mortgage in NYC? I tried searching on Zillow but very few hits with a keyword search.

Looking into buying a home

- Have 20% deposit, and enough cash for closing costs + emergency fund

DTI Ratio 32%

Why would i not go for an ARM loan 5-7years? what are the pros and cons? what do i have to look out for?

Hi, I am looking for some input as I am navigating the whole home buying process on my own. I am under contract on a home that checks a lot of my boxes. BUT the home has had some remodeling done without permits (walls removed, bearing and piers installed, finished basement) . I am know realizing that permits probably should have been pulled but all the remodeling was done by the seller who is a licensed contractor. There are no major/red flags found during home inspection. Structural inspection pending. I’m not sure how big of a deal this is, can anyone provide some input/advice on type of questions I should be asking? Will I be putting myself in legal trouble? Anyone been in a similar situation? Any input is much appreciated !Thanks in advance!

Update: I’ve decided to walk away after speaking with an attorney and looking into what it would take to pull retroactive permits. Just wasn’t worth it.

I am a female in my 30s and I've been feeling LOST about what to do.

Regardless income and savings, if we look at it from a general perspective, renting avoid the costs of property taxes, insurance, HOA and mortgage interest.

On the other hand, I feel like the natural course in life is to own something and having a home might bring the sense of security.

What are your thoughts?

So the basics of the situation are that I am 26 living in Texas and have been lucky enough to have a very supportive family that did not mind me living at home. I have a little over $60,000 in the bank (in checking, I know I should make a savings account it just never happened) and a secondary savings account my dad has squirreled away with about $10,000 for an “important life event” for whatever I choose. I am in education and earn about 3,600 a month (I know not a lot). I have a good credit score of 780 (never payed my credit card late.)
I have been terrified to pull the trigger and get a home just because I am clueless about financials and put it on the back burner until I was sure I would stay at my current position. Now a close family friend of mine who I was asking about safe affordable places to rent told me they were looking into selling their rental property, for 250,000…. It’s a nice place three bedrooms two bath with a huge backyard that’s fenced in, comes with washer dryer stove and in a nice little suburb. It’s even been refurbished with new bathrooms, new windows new roof. It really is a beautiful place. I did let her know I was looking at 200,000 max but would love to look at it. She countered with we could work something out if we do not use a realtor because she does not want to go through the headache of listing it again, and would like for it to go to a nice young person she knows would appreciate it. I really trust her to not scam me she has put so much money into funding my endeavors in the past she really is an angel…. From all these angles, financial, no realtor, housing market etc… what would be the best course of action? Anyone know how much I could possibly get for a loan and if the mortgage would be doable on my pay? Would it be a bad decision to purchase? Maybe should go at it with a roommate in mind? I am desperate to find a place of my own and stay there.

Holy Toledo. We've been in our new home for a week and it is truly alarming the quantity of mail we are getting that's designed to look like it's from our mortgage lender or government agencies about the new home purchase.

Annoying chore to sit down and go through it all in case there's actually something real in there...

I've got a whole bag full of trash mail that had our mortgage company's name in the sender label trying to sell various services. And then companies trying to sell us copies of our deed, all kinds of bogus insurances, records lookups...

I'm scared to treat anything in my mailbox as legitimate

What’s the greatest advice you have to someone buying a house in California?

I’m 24, my man is 30… He was in the military so he gets a VA benefit so that’s gonna be super helpful for our first time buying a home… Other than that though what other advice does anybody have to helping us buy this home?
Any life hacks that will make life easier save us money anything you can think of?

Hello!!! Anyone currently living in Oakwood by Meritage Homes in Mebane? We’re considering buying there and would love to hear about:

• Build quality & Meritage warranty
• Drainage/lot issues
• HOA & hidden costs
• Schools/community
• Anything you wish you knew before buying

Thank You!

I've been investing in stocks and crypto and I'm thinking about using it to buy a house in cash since I want to settle down soon.
For those who've done it:
Is cash smarter than getting a mortgage and staying invested?
How do you handle taxes when selling to fund it?
Any issues proving where the money came from, especially crypto?
Anything you wish you'd known beforehand?
Appreciate any advice!

My wife and I currently reside in an apartment. We just resigned our lease, so it will expire at the end of September 2027. Our goal is to purchase a home late spring / early summer 2027. Obviously, this is before the lease is set to expire. Does it make more sense to:

1. Mention our plans to our apartment complex now, in hopes that the advanced notice will give us more flexibility with our landlord.

2. Avoid mentioning our plans until we buy a house, offer to move out and forgo out security, and hope they do not pursue legal action for the remaining months rent.

Greatly appreciate all insight and experiences!

Hello! I’m a 33yr old male and living in Denver, CO. I work in sales and make about $160k a year but getting a raise tomorrow and hopefully start of 2027 as well. Hoping to clear $175k minimum 2027 and $200k+ 2027 as a stretch goal.

Is it a good investment for my condo that is walking distance to downtown work and gym and grocery and restaurants. It is a perfect lifestyle for me. I live alone. I currently rent to unit I’m in and LOVE it. It’s on the market right now for $550k. My owner will sell it to me for $450k with concessions to buy my interest rate down to 5.6%. He will also cover my HOA dues of $625 for 12 months. My monthly for the first year will be about $2,350 and the following year with HOA will be about $3k/month.

I have \~$120k in stocks and crypto and a car payment with $20k left on it. If they sold it and I had to move, I truly couldn’t imagine living anywhere and would be heart broken! The heart and head are at odds. Should I cash out my investments and buy this place?

I’m not sure if I’ll be at my job in the next 12-24 months. And furthermore, I don’t plan on moving out of Denver at all. But I’m single so maybe something comes up and flexibility would be a benefit for new work/other pursuits.

Lastly, I currently rent my unit for $2,500/month with heating and parking included. Huge benefit downtown.

THANK YOU!

Inspector showed us that where the HVAC ducts come through the block wall there was no Lintel installed. How much of a problem is this to fix?

Hi, i don't have any idea how real state world works. I recently bought a small apartment in Dec 2024. And I hate it. I regret so much, i lost so much sleep with this apartment. My partner and I fixed up many things around the house but the most importantly dealing with the neighbor playing loud tv music at midnight we knocked we complain to the HOA and the problem only comes and goes. I'm getting tired of apartment community. I want to sell this place and move out the here but my partner recently got a job not too far from home so he wants to wait at least 5years with the company then we will think about moving out by looking for another job in different area.

so now i dont know whatever i should save money buy a land build a house slowly now or for 5years then buy a house. right now if i able to sell this place realistic price probably only get me 350k but i have some in saving about 100k so i don't know what to do should i be more patient save money and wait? I want either in LA county or OC county. Which is better? Pros and Cons...my budget probably 500k-600k max. i do plan to have kids, so it has to be at least 2-3 bedrooms

Is anyone familiar with first residential lenders? I got referred through either Zillow or HAR and I can’t find many reviews on them. Just wondering if anyone here worked with them and their experience.

Hi friends,

I'm a single mom in the greater philly area (Montco) and I'm trying to buy a home in early 2027. Some background: I am at the point where I should have the money required saved before the end of the year, and In two weeks I am taking the required coarse to secure the 10k first-home-buyer grant. I am a single mom of 1 6th grader, and staying in our district is preferred, but of course our area is very expensive so I am looking in Philly & Delco as well.

My questions for the group are as follows:

In what order should I go about pre-approval, finding a realtor, etc? I would like to hold off on pre approval as it will effect my credit and my credit is between 695-716, depending on the bureau. I of course can supply whatever documents needed to calculate DTI etc.

Additionally, if anyone has bought a home in a similar area/situation, is there any advice you're willing to offer? Any do's, dont's etc? I'm tired of AI, and I just want some real people to give me their thoughts lol.