Any OTer's single and have their own House?

[SkiWrex]

Mighty OT, school me on the life of a single home owner...

I'm a 30 year old single guy looking to get into my first home. I'm looking at buying a single family home (NO townehome or condo). After living in Duplexes and apartments. I am done with roommates and sharing walls and ceilings with people.

As far as living goes, I'm more of a quiet suburbs kind of guy, I enjoy going out and doing things in the city, but I'm not very interested in living there. I have a steady job and make decent money.

I'm just looking for first time home buyers tips and advice. If you live alone, do you like it? Do you get bored? What are some things you wish you had known before you bought your place?

Any homeowners please chime in.

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[RastaMon]

PM 24

[Zarno]

No and no.

I'll see myself out.

[r0bman]

Used to.

Loved it.

Never got bored, because I love doing things on my own / loafing.

Bought a house that was basically a tent with attached rooms, which blew as anything more than a bachelor pad. I'd recommend thinking about separation if you ever plan on living with someone there.

[Salvation27]

Make sure you have a door of...

[motorpotor]

Will you be throwing a house party?

[wteGDF]

I bought a condo so I guess I am not good enough to comment here..

[SkiWrex]

Originally Posted by motorpotor

Will you be throwing a house party?

Only if you promise to be there.

[motorpotor]

Originally Posted by SkiWrex

Only if you promise to be there.

Hells yeah...brah!

[edkwon]

Originally Posted by SkiWrex

Mighty OT, school me on the life of a single home owner...

I'm a 30 year old single guy looking to get into my first home. I'm looking at buying a single family home (NO townehome or condo). After living in Duplexes and apartments. I am done with roommates and sharing walls and ceilings with people.

As far as living goes, I'm more of a quiet suburbs kind of guy, I enjoy going out and doing things in the city, but I'm not very interested in living there. I have a steady job and make decent money.

I'm just looking for first time home buyers tips and advice. If you live alone, do you like it? Do you get bored? What are some things you wish you had known before you bought your place?

Any homeowners please chime in.

Are you a DIY kind of guy who will enjoy constant maintenance, upkeep and taking care of a house and yard?

[zombiefeedingtime]

Originally Posted by wteGDF

I bought a condo so I guess I am not good enough to comment here..

Same here.

For me, it's the best of both worlds. I own my place and don't have to bother with any of the exterior maintenance.

[foothill]

I also live in a tent house that blows. In the winter it sucks.

[jblaze5579]

I'm single and have two houses. I want a cookie (but have no one to make them for me )

[bcblues]

I am now married, but I was a single homeowner prior.

Some tips:
1) Get a good agent that you can trust. Don't just call randomly out of the yellow pages, ask around for suggestions, and listen closely to any issues others have had with particular agencies or individual agents. This is probably the most important thing to do when looking for a home, hence why I listed it as number one in this list.
2) Don't be in a hurry. Time is on your side when looking at places and deciding to make an offer. Don't be rushed into it.
3) Look at places that are turnkey-ready to move into. "Fixer-uppers" have a way of becoming money and time sinks.
4) Consider all the factors of home ownership when figuring your budget. There is mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, specials, utilities, etc, etc. Then there is upkeep and maintenance, and all the other toys you will need to mow the yard, care for the house, etc.
5) You WILL KNOW when you walk into the right place. That is what you are waiting for. Don't settle.
6) Consider where you want to live, including neighborhoods. Closer to work (or at least an easy commute) is generally an important consideration. But at least keep an open mind about other neighborhoods too, and let your agent help you hone in on suitable houses to look at.
7) Finally, when you think you are ready to make an offer, look at the neighbors, and even walk over and ring the doorbell and talk to them. Nothing spoils a new home purchase like crappy neighbors.

[snaps]

Yes. I love it. I don't get bored - I spend my time at home doing projects, yard maintenance, making things, lazing around, watching tv, cooking etc. If I start to get bored, I go to the gym, call up a friend, head to the hardware store...

Things I wish I had known? Nothing, really.

[MSMStannyl]

I'm single and just bought a condo here in Baltimore. I'm not quite "in" the city. About a mile north of the border. My thinking was to have the convenience of being really close to the city (less than 10 minutes to downtown) while having the much cheaper taxes and insurance in the county.

I don't know where you live so that kind of scenario may or may not apply to you but it's definitely worth looking into if you have a choice. Check the property tax rates, etc. Mine is a pretty big 2 bedroom, 2 bath top floor unit with vaulted ceilings and 2 decks (on different sides). I also have a seperate garage which was a key selling point. It's a little tough buying into this being single but my mortgage and condo fee's combined are slightly less than the rent I was paying on a crappy 1 bedroom condo! Of course the taxes bring that figure up a bit.

Now is definitely the time to buy before the market goes up again. I waited and waited and finally made the move a month ago (contract in January, moved in mid-March). One key thing that worked in my favor was that the condo complex lost it's FHA approval a few years ago and while they were working to get back on the FHA list, they hadn't done it yet. This meant that I couldn't put just 3% down or whatever. I had to put 20% down. This took a lot of potential buyers out of the picture and let me pretty much dictate the price I wanted to pay. Got a really, really good deal on it and with the super low interest rates, it was a no brainer. The 20% down + closing costs was tough but well worth it.

[lag]

Originally Posted by SkiWrex

Mighty OT, school me on the life of a single home owner...

I'm a 30 year old single guy looking to get into my first home. I'm looking at buying a single family home (NO townehome or condo). After living in Duplexes and apartments. I am done with roommates and sharing walls and ceilings with people.

As far as living goes, I'm more of a quiet suburbs kind of guy, I enjoy going out and doing things in the city, but I'm not very interested in living there. I have a steady job and make decent money.

I'm just looking for first time home buyers tips and advice. If you live alone, do you like it? Do you get bored? What are some things you wish you had known before you bought your place?

Any homeowners please chime in.

Bought my first place ~24 and lived alone for ~4 years. Also a single family home in the suburbs. I have enough hobbies that kept me busy at home even though I don't like to go out w/ friends a lot. But you just need to find your own balance with that.

My only regret is that I bought in 2005 right at the peak of the market (of course not knowing it was the peak) and I had no intention of being there for more than a few years... I was there for 7 years and I still have to sell the place... and I have to seriously wondering if I can afford to sell the house or will I have to rent it

My advice, don't think "starter home" think "I could live here until I'm old". Have your 20% down and closing cost in the bank BEFORE you start looking. At least now is a good time to buy and values hopefully shouldn't drop any more than they have.

Put money into your home, I never really fixed up my place until I was ready to leave. At least I did get about two years of living in it like that, but I should have done it from the start before deciding to finally move.

Do everything I didn't do

[Jessie James]

To add to bcblues list:

1. Make a "Want / need" list. Your Needs should be things you cannot live without. Things like off-street parking, 3 bedrooms, hardwood floors due to allergies, or stuff like that. Wants should be things you can live without, like a garage, basement, new kitchen, or whatever. Think about everything - do you want gas or electric? Large lot or small lot? Close to work? Near neighbors or 10 acres? Our list was pretty big. You can then screen out places that don't meet your criteria online.

2. Check houses online as well as what your Realtor comes back with. You can often find things you like but s/he overlooked. You can also dismiss things s/he comes up with.

3. Avoid short sales, unless your Realtor specializes in them. Ours did; we closed in 90 days. Otherwise only 5% of short sales close, and can take up to a YEAR.

4. Tour at least 50 houses. Yes, FIFTY. By the time you get to 50, you will start to recognize common problems, designs, and things you like or dislike.

5. The neighbors thing ... yeah, I can't stress that enough. If you find a place you like, go check it out Friday night at 7:00 pm. Then Saturday at 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Then Sunday at noon. Sit in your car for an hour or two and read a book. Had I done that, I would have discovered the idiots two houses down partied and cranked their crappy music out of their open garage from 10:00 am until midnight EVERY SUNDAY!

When you find the house you really like, you'll know. You will say "Wow. This is really nice." That's the one to buy.

if you are AT ALL handy, expect to spend a lot more on your house than you planned. I justify buying new tools as a cost savings over hiring someone to do projects. And then I spend a ton on projects. I can't tell you what I've spent on upgrades. New kitchen counters, new hardwood floors, new driveway, garden for the wife, lawn mower and snow blower, a used truck to haul project stuff, tools galore, cabinets to store it all, new furniture, paint ...

[samagon]

Originally Posted by bcblues

5) You WILL KNOW when you walk into the right place. That is what you are waiting for. Don't settle.
6) Consider where you want to live, including neighborhoods. Closer to work (or at least an easy commute) is generally an important consideration. But at least keep an open mind about other neighborhoods too, and let your agent help you hone in on suitable houses to look at.

These 2 are most important.

Find the area you want to live and spend as much time as you need to find your house.

I spent 6 months finding the area I wanted, then another 6 waiting on the right place to show up. It will go fast once you get there.

Buy and keep a home warranty.

[erm016]

I'm 29, just starting to think about buying in a year or so, subscribed.

[kfoote]

I live in a condex, alone, have been there for 5 years, purchased when I was 32. I basically own half the house, the woman that owns the other half also lives alone (you don't want pics, she's mid-50's and not attractive).

This particular setup has no condo fees, and the entire determination of what goes on is made between me and her. There is virtually zero conflict. I mow the lawn, she plants flowers, all is good.

I was also in a position where I did not need to buy immediately. It was probably 6 months from the time I started seriously looking until I found this place. I didn't look at a lot of places, but I was very selective in what I looked at. I found the place I'm in now and knew it was the place, as others have mentioned.

I do not get bored, but I work a lot. My neighbor's biggest complaint about me is that I'm never there. Though anywhere I would want to go to entertain myself is about 2 miles away, there is a ton of stuff within 5 miles, whether I need to get my hair cut, get groceries, or go to the pub.

[SkiWrex]

Originally Posted by edkwon

Are you a DIY kind of guy who will enjoy constant maintenance, upkeep and taking care of a house and yard?

When I can't afford it, I'm definitely a DIY guy, I figure it's a learning process like anything, I bought my first car when I was 17 and didn't know a single thing about cars, I sure learned. I know a house is WAY different than a car, but I do a lot of maintenance and upkeep for my mom, so I do know some, but I am by no means an expert. I am leaning towards buying new, which means I would have to put in a yard and such...

Originally Posted by bcblues

I am now married, but I was a single homeowner prior.

Some tips:
1) Get a good agent that you can trust. Don't just call randomly out of the yellow pages, ask around for suggestions, and listen closely to any issues others have had with particular agencies or individual agents. This is probably the most important thing to do when looking for a home, hence why I listed it as number one in this list.
2) Don't be in a hurry. Time is on your side when looking at places and deciding to make an offer. Don't be rushed into it.
3) Look at places that are turnkey-ready to move into. "Fixer-uppers" have a way of becoming money and time sinks.
4) Consider all the factors of home ownership when figuring your budget. There is mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, specials, utilities, etc, etc. Then there is upkeep and maintenance, and all the other toys you will need to mow the yard, care for the house, etc.
5) You WILL KNOW when you walk into the right place. That is what you are waiting for. Don't settle.
6) Consider where you want to live, including neighborhoods. Closer to work (or at least an easy commute) is generally an important consideration. But at least keep an open mind about other neighborhoods too, and let your agent help you hone in on suitable houses to look at.
7) Finally, when you think you are ready to make an offer, look at the neighbors, and even walk over and ring the doorbell and talk to them. Nothing spoils a new home purchase like crappy neighbors.

That's a great list! Thanks! Yeah, I think taking my time, and looking into the neighbors is a must. The last thing I want is to get into a home that I dread going home to.

Originally Posted by samagon

These 2 are most important.

Find the area you want to live and spend as much time as you need to find your house.

I spent 6 months finding the area I wanted, then another 6 waiting on the right place to show up. It will go fast once you get there.

Buy and keep a home warranty.

Yeah, I'm not gonna rush, I'm going to take my time and make sure I get what I want, where I want.

[bluers]

Bought my home when I was 27. Ranch with a two car garage at the end of a cul-de-sac. I love it. I enjoy keeping up the yard and keeping the house nice. I bought a for sale by owner house without an agent. Neither the seller or myself had any clue how to do this on our own so we worked together to figure it out. Nice family and the house was only 8yrs old, but was to small for their growing family. It's the perfect size for me and an eventual wife though. I'm 32 now with no kids and never married. *shrug*

[JGard]

I did when I was living back in MA.

[ExecNav]

Bought a house when I was single and 23 that I could turn into a vacation rental property. I could get married, buy a house with my waif, and still keep my bachelor pad.