The struggle 😩, I'm loving the convenience of an apartment but I know long run house is best. What should I do?

[Softlife808]

I love having maintenance whenever I call, lawns already done, washer and dryer replacement no problem maintenance ordered a new one no cost, trash pick up. All I have to do is exist and pay rent 😆. A home just seems like a lot of work like I'm on my own with repairs. Other than that a house is worth it because you have a mortgage which doesn't have to go up yearly like an apartment lease, you have steady neighbors more of a community and don't have to be so close to neighbors

I think you should buy a house despite how you feel. You'll be thankful later

I'd just stay in an apartment unless you're a handy woman who can do her own repairs

Other

Updates

+1 y

I see a lot of comments about buying a condo but condo hoa fees are $300 plus. I'll pass on an hoa and that price

[Justneedtokno]

I’ve lived in a house/dormitory for my life. So I don’t really know what it’s like to live in an apartment. But this sounds like do you research. To do this, you just need to make a pros and cons list. You need to know if you’re trying to save money into save it for an apartment may be for you. What side of town do you want to be on? Is it close to work

Yes there are repair costs with houses but the upside is you don’t have to answer to anyone on how you paint your house. How do you style your house.

Houses , with or without an HOA (homeowners association) if you live in the city, then that is who you answer to and you have a little bit more freedom with the way your house painted in upkeep. HOA’s are a group of homeowners within an area that maintains the status and upkeep of the house in their neighborhood. There’s ups and downsides you need approval for certain things but sometimes it can be fun. They have neighborhood activities it’s great for volunteering. I think it’s better for families sort of speak. Downside if you fallen on hard times and you can’t get your grass cut or can’t repair some thing they can advocate to infinite domain or evict you pretty much.

Townhome this is similar to the house, but not in there already made a certain way and they probably have a Juez that may come with the neighborhood repair team or something

Apartments/condo

if you like these, most of them come with maintenance teams and you can own a condo

[Justneedtokno]

So to your update look for things that don’t have HOA’s that’s a start what you don’t want

[Justneedtokno]

Thank you personally I love my house

[Anonymous]

A house is an investment. Renting is just debt.

[Softlife808]

Renting isn't debt. Rent is an expense of living which is normally paid monthly on the first day of the month. If you don't pay your rent then it would be considered a debt.

[Softlife808]

So that's not the appropriate term for debt.

[LiamJHayden]

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. It depends upon where you live, how important mobility is to you, and how adept you are at investing. If you can make more via investments than you lose in increases in equity and tax write offs minus expenses, and especially live where there is some sort of limit on rent increases, then stay in an apartment. If you own your business and that business is location specific (like mine) then a house might be the better option. If you despise upkeep and do not want to be responsible for paying what the homeowners insurance won't cover for a new roof, termite damage, water damage, landscaping, etc., then again an apartment might be a better option.

[Jay3344]

Depending on where you live one can be more advantageous over another. It’s easy to think that every mortgage payment is slowly paying off an appreciating investment or something you could leave to your kids but that’s not always the case. Like wise apartments can be very taxing financially with the only pay off being a place to live and sleep etc. it’s situational. Maybe the apartment is in a great location where you could never afford a house, maybe the rent is super low, less liability, etc. so it’s up to you to choose based on what you want.

[OfMiceandMen]

Do you have the option to buy a condo where you are? Still get everything you get with an apartment building (similar setting) and you just pay condo fees for the regular maintenance. The only thing you may have to do is change a light bulb.

It is your space though so you can do some renovations on the space. The condo corporation may have some limitations on that, but for the most part it is wide open to your influence.

That way you don't have to buy a single detached home and take care of it entirely yourself.

[AMS700CX4u2]

If you have a mortgage your interest is not taxable. Lets face it for the first 10 years 90 percent of your house payment is interest. It dwindles the closer you are to payoff. Also if you and yours make improvements you can sell if for more than you paid for it.

[AviatorTom]

The cost of that maintenance is included in your apartment rent. The benefit of a house is that you get to choose what maintenance you do, how it's done. who you have do it, and how much you pay for it.

If you can afford a house, and still have money to cover those maintenance items (don't forget utilities), go buy a house.

[MementoMori777]

An apartment you rely on others and share pools, Laundry rooms, maintenance etc. A house you don't get any but at least you know your pool is piss free, or at least only contains your piss if you are a pool pisser, but the house you got your own rules, an apartment you have to follow their rules, if you break their guidelines they always have the power to kick you out, with a house you want only kick yourself out, it would all depend on what you like I guess.

[MementoMori777]

Can*

[PointTaken]

Completely depends on your lifestyle and how you want to live. It may be cheaper per month to buy a house, but as you said in an apartment you don't pay for the repairs. If you don't mind people above and below you, you like the convenience of calling maintenance, and don't want your own yard, stay in an apartment. If you want space, privacy, and your own yard to chill in, then a house.

[lightbulb27]

could you save $ and put it into an investment property?

If you don't want work, don't get a house...

but a house... as long as you can pay the bills, provides security since you are ath the mercy of the apt mgmt.

[MysticDevice]

I'd choose a house over an apartment every single time. Yes, they're more work. A lot of work. But the rewards are far better. When you're done working on it you can stand back and say "Yup. That's mine. I did that".

[WanderingLoveWizard]

An apartment is an expense, but a house (condo or townhome) is an investment

[Softlife808]

Condo and townhome hoa are headaches so that's out. My apartment is cheaper than a bought townhome or condo.

[WanderingLoveWizard]

You're right, HOA is trash. As long as you're happy with where you're at, it doesn't really matter

[Softlife808]

Yeah it's ridiculous. I looked it up the mortgage for a townhome and condo are 2k a month plus a $395 hoa

[WanderingLoveWizard]

Good lord, that's ridiculous.
You're better off paying the $1,000 a month for rent

[richardcory]

Agree with a previous post - a condo is a great solution. You eventually own it, but its sort of like an apartment for effort.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Buy a house that you can think you're able to afford.

[David4358]

why not buy a condo.. its literally an apartment that you own

[Softlife808]

Condo hoa fees are extremely high

[David4358]

The HOA fees are supposed to cover all of the maintenance that you don't want to do though. But I agree that dealing with a HOA can sometimes be a nightmare. If you buy a house you can just hire landscapers and handymen to deal with all the upkeep.. or date a handyman solves everything lol

[Softlife808]

The condo mortgage here is 3k a month plus the 300 dollar hoa. I only pay 1,000 a month for my apartment. I know my ex was military he did everything 😩. I don't know how to do that stuff

[David4358]

That's the downside of living in a city.. which I'm assuming that's where you live based on the cost of a condo

[Softlife808]

Yes I live in the city and I don't like it. I prefer the suburbs

[David4358]

Yeah I moved to the burbs outside of Chicago and it's night and day the cost difference in the burbs vs the city

[Jersey2]

Maybe try a condominium as much is handled by the Board and contracts with suppliers.

[Redstang88]

You could buy an apartment, kind of a balance of both.

[Blurr090]

Pay careful attention to your local housing market. If you buy, make sure it's a decent deal for you and that you can afford the place.

[Jamie05rhs]

Don't buy a house yet. You'll waste your money. It's still a seller's market.

[mommymommy]

It makes more sense to buy a house

[jimmy2]

Stay there thill housing market bubble breaks

[NostalgiaSenpi]

Get the home.

[EaterPeter]

Plan smart