A first-time homebuyer in New Mexico thought a home inspection had revealed no major concerns. After they moved in, however, rainfall exposed leaks in six areas, adding to a growing list of unexpected repairs.
Here's what to know
The seller agreed to repair downstairs water damage, while the inspection also noted exposed wiring and improperly secured rails. According to the buyer's Reddit post on r/homeowners, the house had two previous owners and was more than 20 years old when they moved in during the first week of June.
The buyer initially thought the hard-to-operate windows were manageable. Otherwise, the bathrooms appeared functional, and the heating and air conditioning worked during the inspection.
Rain caused moisture damage to the windows, and water entered through the pet door. Some leaks also emerged near areas that had already been repaired.
"Every single day something comes up," the original poster wrote. "I feel tired of hearing and seeing it. It just doesn't seem real."
More background
Settling in also meant dealing with doors that wouldn't latch properly and mismatched locks. Of the more than 10 keys the sellers left behind, only the mailbox keys worked. Part of the fence also fell when the buyers first drove to the house.
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In the kitchen, the microwave light and vent didn't work, and an unsecured dishwasher tilted during use because it wasn't attached to the counter. A clogged dryer tube brought another set of problems: machine errors and an unpleasant smell.
A failed smoke alarm appeared to need a whole-unit replacement. Elsewhere, the buyer found cracked stucco, uneven windows, and gaps beneath doors.
The work, which also included repainting and dismantling a homemade storage structure, kept mounting. It left the buyers questioning a purchase they had initially felt proud to afford in their early-to-mid-20s.
What can be done?
Commenters encouraged the buyer to prioritize urgent repairs instead of tackling every problem at once.
One offered a starting point: "First the water intrusion. Then the air intrusion. Then the windows."
The buyer had already replaced all the doorknobs to make the doors work with one key, they said in response to security advice. Another homeowner had recommended rekeying the locks through a locksmith and resetting the garage door opener.
Smart switches were another possibility that commenter raised for the confusing light switches. In their own home, they had used a label maker to identify what the switches controlled.
Even a longtime homeowner still had attic insulation on the project list. They described tackling key systems first rather than doing everything at once; removing wallpaper alone had taken a couple of years.
One commenter who had also spent months uncovering problems wrote, "It gets better tho. after you fix the first 20 things you start to feel like you know the house, like its yours not just some strangers mess. still finding dumb stuff but now its more funny than soul crushing. you will get there."
Where can I learn more?
The New Mexico buyer isn't alone in discovering unexpected repairs after an inspection. These stories follow other buyers dealing with costly repairs, hidden defects, and rainwater intrusion.
• A Maryland buyer paid $3,000 for an inspection, then faced $15,500 in repairs after moving in.
• A first-time homebuyer encountered roof, HVAC, mold, and sewer problems, prompting warnings to walk away.
• After three floods and roof damage, a new homeowner urged buyers to inspect everything.
• A homebuyer discovered $40,000 in hidden water damage, while commenters warned insurance would not help.
• A Chicago condo buyer discovered rainwater entering a spray-foamed basement after closing on a duplex-down.
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