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Since you clicked this post, you know that I don’t want to buy a house.
You might think I’m crazy for stating this, as “everyone” wants the dream of homeownership, right?
Not wanting to buy a house might sound strange to you, especially if you live in the United States. Like many people buying a home is the ultimate goal.
Don’t get me wrong, having a place that you can call your own has got to be a fantastic feeling of accomplishment.
You might think about a place where your family has holiday dinners, the white picket fence, and of course, a dog running around on your freshly cut lawn.
My decision
But for me, I have never had the burning desire to buy a house, which might be because I have lived in apartments my whole life.
Or the fact that I’m not as handy as I would like to be. And I don’t know how to fix things (a lot can go wrong in a home).
There is always YouTube University, a place where you can truly learn anything.
For a recent and fun example, my water heater recently went out.
You might think that is an easy fix, and I know I can learn to fix it. But this is what went through my head. I would have to find a replacement, somehow get it home, and then watch YouTube videos on installing the thing.
That leads me to the one true benefit of renting.
After one phone call to the property manager, the water heater was replaced. It might have taken longer than I wanted, two weeks to be precise, but it didn’t cost me anything extra.
Homeownership
As you know by now, I do not own my own home, but I understand some significant benefits.
Having your own house allows you to have the freedom to do what you want to do.
Want a wrap-around porch, extra bedroom, take down a wall for that open concept, have family stay over longer than you want (maybe a benefit of renting, as you can’t have long-term visitors), and the list goes on.
All this to say that you can do what you want when you own your own home. You don’t even have to make sure it’s okay to hang up a painting or shelf.
The last place I lived didn’t allow anything on their walls. That is when I found the Command Strips came in very handy.
I will not get into this because I don’t know much about it, but I also know there are some tax incentives for owning your own house.
Food for thought
There are a ton of things that you must do when owning your own house.
It seems that homeowners are constantly working on something.
That might be additions, repairs, or the never-ending “honey-do list.”
There is also the everyday maintenance of having your own home. It includes cleaning the gutters, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, making your home safe depending on the season you are in, and so on.
My biggest question about homeownership
Then there is the question that I have wondered about for many years. Do you really own your house?
This question might be a little on the dark side, but it’s an honest question.
If you make a mortgage payment every month (one of over 230 million people in the US), do you technically own your home?
Suppose you have paid off your property. Congratulations! As Dave Ramsey would say, you are one of the weird people!
To me, that is a fantastic accomplishment and something to be celebrated. Mainly because, in my opinion, that is only when you can truly understand what it’s like to be a homeowner.
If you disagree with me, let’s try something.
Let’s say you have a monthly mortgage and don’t make a payment for one month.
Or better yet, let’s say you don’t pay the taxes on your property (whether it’s paid off or not). If you don’t believe me, try not making a mortgage or tax payment and see what happens.
What happens then?
I’m pretty sure we can answer that question, and I don’t have to go into it. But the government always gets what “they are owed.”
If you have any additional thoughts about this question or a better answer, let me know in the comments below.
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: That was me just trying to make a point. I DO NOT suggest you do that.
My plan
We all have different ideas on what we to achieve and accomplish in our lives.
If you have read any of the posts on Wilde Escape before, you know I enjoy the simple things in life. That also means, at least for now, I have no desire to own a huge house.
Besides all the upkeep, maintenance, and so on, I like living simply.
If I did purchase a house, my “dream” would be to own a large piece of property. Yes, I know what you are thinking. The property would have a lot of maintenance and upkeep too.
But bear with me for a minute. I would build out a tiny house, a larger community building (you will know why in a moment), and then create a camping area.
I would have places for RVs and vans to park with complete hookups, plenty of tent spots, and if all went well, build out a few cabins to rent out.
And, of course, there will be free potable water, bathrooms, free hot showers, and a laundry room.
There would be a large community building with fun things like a pool table, foosball, darts, and a full kitchen guests would be free to use.
The slogan would be, “That’s Wilde,” or something along those lines.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
What do you think?
You might think I’m against owning your own home, well you’re mistaken.
I think it’s important to know where you stand and figure out if it’s right for you.
Don’t be a follower just because everyone else is doing it. Especially right now, house prices are insane!
For me, renting is the best option (for now). I like not having to do property upkeep, I can make a phone call when something isn’t right, and I also don’t want to be tied down to one area.
I may not want to own a house in the ordinary sense, but I can understand and appreciate those that do.
The main takeaway is to understand that just because someone chooses to live differently doesn’t mean they are slackers. What works for one person doesn’t always work for others.
I would love to hear what you think about homeownership.
Let me know in the comments below.
I understand your point of view. If you think you are alone, think again. Many people share the same opinion.
My preference would be to have a house.
Nothing big or fancy, but a peaceful place I could have some distance from others.
It would be nice to not smell someone else’s dinner cooking, not deal with limited parking, and be able to vacuum any time of day [I am very considerate and only do so between 10am and 8pm].
Of course my dream would include a budget that would allow me to hire someone for yardwork and maintenance.
That said, when you create your “That’s Wilde” space, I would love to hang out there!
I like the minimalist approach, interesting how that works 🙂 But I’m sure you would also have a wrap-around porch, just saying.
There are many drawbacks to having neighbors, and you mentioned two of the big ones. I would add the ones that are stupid noisy all the time.
As for the That’s Wilde Space, that would be so Epic, and everyone would be invited! One day, one day.