Buying a house turned an always-on-the-go renter into a homebody: 'It's my safe place'

When buying a house for the first time, one of the biggest sources of anxiety can be all of the unknowns. Hoping to alleviate some of their concerns, a soon-to-be first-time homeowner turned to Reddit to ask other users about some of the biggest surprises, positive and negative, that they experienced as new homeowners. 

Here's what to know

Writing on Reddit's r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer forum, the original poster explained that they were preparing to close on a single-family home and expected to take ownership in the coming weeks. Interested in what challenges might lie ahead, they asked Redditors what aspects of homeownership, other than the cost of maintenance and repairs, had surprised them most.

The OP made clear that they wanted to hear experiences both good and bad, or, as they put it, "the ugly AND the wonderful!"

What commenters said

Redditors flooded the comments with their takes. 

"Well, I moved into my new home in February and since then I've basically converted entirely to a homebody," chimed in one. "All I want to do is just… be home. It's my safe place, my home."

Others agreed, noting how, when living in an apartment rental, they had felt the constant urge to get away from home, whether for a night out or a full vacation. 

"My fiancé and I were constantly thinking of what we could go out to do on the weekends because being home in our rental just felt boring and bland," shared one commenter. "Our home now has the best views and is in such a nice area that we look forward to just staying in and doing stuff around the house instead."

Freedom to transform your living space

Another repeatedly mentioned perk of homeownership was the ability to remodel the space. Without the limits of a rental property, commenters said that they could choose to repaint a room or make other changes without having to ask for a landlord's approval.

Similarly, one commenter said that they enjoyed being able to make repairs without having to wait for a landlord to take care of it, writing, "I've loved being able to put screens on all the windows. After three years, I'm finally no longer constantly thinking, 'What will my landlord think of x?'" 

Other comments 

Some homeowners shared more obscure challenges. For example, one homeowner said that one unexpected issue for them had been being present for all the service appointments that a house requires. 

"The hardest part is having to be home for appointments," they wrote. "It's not getting it booked, it's not even necessarily the cost. It's having to be home between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on a Wednesday."

A number of the commenters congratulated the OP on their home purchase and recommended simply enjoying the ride, with all of its ups and downs. 

"Buying a home in the end was the best decision I ever made," advised one homeowner. "Learn the ins and outs of your home and enjoy the experience!" 

Where can I learn more?

First-time homebuyers aren't the only ones to experience anxiety when it comes to relocating. These stories delve into other moving-related challenges. 

• Parents seeking to help their kids settle in received two first-week rituals to try.

• In Mount Vernon, Texas, a woman found calm after downsizing to a 399-square-foot tiny home.

• A Texas woman left a $3,000 rental and bought a tiny home for $98,000.

• A new homeowner overwhelmed by move-in fixes received a DIY-first project shortlist to consider.

• In the U.K., a beginner homeowner fixed a hinge with toothpicks and caught the DIY bug.

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