Here are 10 things I tell people who are thinking of buying a house:
- A house on a corner lot just means more sidewalks to shovel.
- Fruit trees of any type will be far more trouble than they are worth. Either choose a different house or have them removed immediately.
- Buying an old house just means you’ll need to do more upkeep and repair.
- Buying a new house means you have no idea if it is built well.
- Assume that all of your appliances will fail in the first year.
- Your dishwasher will probably fail twice.
- Have your potential house inspected and then assume that the inspector only found 1/2 of the issues you will have.
- Assume that your neighbors will be assholes or douchebags.
- Plan on any repairs or redecorating that you have budgeted for to cost twice as much as you think.
- Don’t buy a house.