Do you rent or own where you live? Is it what you want to be doing?
I managed to buy a small house during the weird financial stuff going on during covid. As much as this gif is accurate, I like it better than renting.
Own. Bought a house as-is and fixed it up. Well, am in the process of fixing it up.
Well, am in the process of fixing it up.
It's a lifestyle. The fixing up never ends.
My only remaining 'hobbies' are home improvement and parenting, it's true.
At least both are rewarding hobbies!
What level of fixup / how handy are you? A friend bought a house without working plumbing and had to flush by pouring buckets of water down the toilets, but they're pretty handy and actually fixed it up. I'm not that handy, but you can get really good deals if you're willing to put up with that sort of thing.
I spent half again what I paid for the house on immediate fixes before moving in: new supply plumbing, new electric main, new roof.
After moving I had to immediately dip into the emergency fund to fix the heat, including re-lining the chimney. A year later, got masons in to fix the stone lintel above the front windows before it came crashing down. At that point it was $61K house, $39K renovations before moving, $7K emergency fixes.
I've done most of the work since myself; I know carpentry, waste plumbing, and some electrical from my teen years. Anything that could kill me, ie. main power or ladder work, I will hire professionals for. I've had to learn pressurized plumbing and insulation already and am in the process of learning masonry and HVAC.
The house was last upgraded in 1929 –I know because I've seen the newspapers they used for insulation– so there's a lot to be done. But the foundation is stable, the walls are straight, and the timbers are old-growth. Someday we'll have all three bedrooms usable at once, God willing.