Homeowner of two years, here. Before that apartments and public housing. Lemme tell you- this homeowner shit ain’t automatically LESS expensive. (I also didn’t buy a new build). My mortgage for my 4 bedroom is a/b how much 2 bedroom apartments cost here in Atlanta BUT the

maintence costs are what get you. Gotta pay for lawn care, plumbing issues, pest control, gettin gutters cleaned & occasional repairs. My home warranty guarantees i never pay over 125 for repairs- even major ones like hvac, but that’s also a monthly cost i pay.

no calling the building manager. You are the building manager. No utilities are included. None

i ain’t even know i had to get the gas cut on until it was dead of winter and i woke up to 46 degree temps in my home. It was a steep learning curve cuz my folks aren’t homeowners.

The decision was still the right one for me in wanting to provide stability/options for my close family- but def a highly personal choice with a ton of variables.

Ofcourse the benefits are equity, and a fixed rate in a city where rent has been rapidly rising over the last few years. But it’s all still a gamble, tbh.

My tips: take the classes offered. Really sit with the numbers. And ask yourself what it is you reeeeeally want.

My home is beautiful, and certainly the biggest thing I’ve ever lived in- but whenever i decided to sell i think I’ll check the condo route. I know me, i prefer to just have others take care of stuff & It be roped into cost (HOA), i also realized proximity to city life is more

Important to me than yard + home size.

It’s been 2 years and homes like mine in this same area are now 20k-30k more than what i paid. Housing market is volatile sometimes, sure there are benefits- it’s still a gamble.