Home Buying Tips
Lessons From a First-Time Home Buyer: What I’m Most Thankful for As a Homeowner
Last month, in honor of Halloween, I shared some of the scariest things that have happened to us since we bought our home two years ago. Well, seeing as last week was Thanksgiving, it only seems appropriate that I look at the other side of the coin and celebrate the best parts of owning a house. So, here are a few things I’m thankful for as a (relatively) new homeowner.
3 Homeowner-Specific Things I’m Thankful For
Space for Guests
Even though we didn’t have any guests visiting us for this particular holiday, it is great that our house gives us space to accommodate them when they do visit! Coming from a 1-bedroom apartment (which meant the less-than-ideal open living room was the only spot available), the ability to not only provide overnight visitors with a room of their own but also their own full bathroom is truly incredible. Granted, we still don’t have a proper bed down there, but the air mattress is serviceable — and the extra space makes up for it, I think.
Since moving in, we’ve had two guests (well, the same guests twice). In each case, the value of having an area they can temporarily call their own has been undeniable. Truly, it’s a blessing that we’ll surely make use of for future holidays and beyond.
Attached Garage
I know I’ve written about this before… but I just can’t get over how great having an attached garage is. When it’s pouring rain on your drive home, there’s nothing like knowing that, when you arrive, you’ll still be able to enter the house without a drop hitting you. Plus, despite how cold Missouri can get, we haven’t had to scrape ice off our cars since moving to our house! It’s the little things, isn’t it?
Considering how much we love our garage, it still boggles my mind that many of our neighbors don’t use theirs to park their cars. To each his own, I guess — but I’m thankful for this extra convenience nearly every day.
A House That Fits Our Needs (and Budget)
When we began our home search, we didn’t have any idea if we’d find something in the area that fit our wish list. Or, even if we did find something, there was absolutely no guarantee that we’d be able to afford it. Yet, just a few short months after we began our search in earnest, we found something that may not be perfect but is just about perfect for us.
In the end, we managed to find a place that checked several (if not all) of our boxes. Amazingly, it also came in the center of our budget range. Having toured other options that were more expensive, I’m still shocked that it all worked out so well. Thus, I have no choice but to give thanks for this mini miracle.
Obviously, beyond the house itself, I’m thankful that we are able to live comfortably, our family is healthy, and that we’re happy overall. On that point, though, becoming homeowners has been a big step for us and one we’re glad we were able to take. As we cuddled up in our lovely living room this past Thanksgiving, we were definitely thinking about just how lucky we are.
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