More thoughts on becoming a homeowner
Not surprisingly, this whole buying a house business has turned me into a worse insomniac than I already was. Although the process has gone pretty smoothly, there are still a few things I can't get my head around.
I can't believe anyone would enter into this blithely. I can't believe that anyone was EVER allowed to buy a house with no money down. When you hand over a large sum of money and get a house in return, you are essentially handing over a big old garbage bucket filled to the brim with all the aggravation, boredom, frustration, and disappointment you've ever felt at work, and you are getting god-knows-what in return...something that looks good, something that the inspector says is okay, but you are getting a big honking expensive unknown.
Also, you are getting a neighborhood. You are getting neighbors, and you are getting the legacy of their decades-long disputes. You are getting 2-way stops that should be 4-way stops, and soon-to-be abandoned Catholic churches. You are getting empty storefronts that may or may not be filled anytime soon, or with anything useful. You are getting a new array of restaurants and shops that you may not like as much as the ones in your old neighborhood. And when you buy in the winter, you are getting a leaf-raking project that you can't even imagine yet.
I can't believe that anyone would buy a house without understanding that they're getting the neighborhood, and that they've got a huge stake in it, and they're primarily responsible for keeping it running, patronizing the local businesses, and making sure their neighbors aren't suffering. It's like getting married and not realizing you're getting in-laws, and they're forever.
Sigh. Sometimes I wish I could just think about paint colors.
I can't believe anyone would enter into this blithely. I can't believe that anyone was EVER allowed to buy a house with no money down. When you hand over a large sum of money and get a house in return, you are essentially handing over a big old garbage bucket filled to the brim with all the aggravation, boredom, frustration, and disappointment you've ever felt at work, and you are getting god-knows-what in return...something that looks good, something that the inspector says is okay, but you are getting a big honking expensive unknown.
Also, you are getting a neighborhood. You are getting neighbors, and you are getting the legacy of their decades-long disputes. You are getting 2-way stops that should be 4-way stops, and soon-to-be abandoned Catholic churches. You are getting empty storefronts that may or may not be filled anytime soon, or with anything useful. You are getting a new array of restaurants and shops that you may not like as much as the ones in your old neighborhood. And when you buy in the winter, you are getting a leaf-raking project that you can't even imagine yet.
I can't believe that anyone would buy a house without understanding that they're getting the neighborhood, and that they've got a huge stake in it, and they're primarily responsible for keeping it running, patronizing the local businesses, and making sure their neighbors aren't suffering. It's like getting married and not realizing you're getting in-laws, and they're forever.
Sigh. Sometimes I wish I could just think about paint colors.
posted by Christine Borne at 8:42 AM
4 Comments:
Wow, you're a really conscientious neighbor. May you be an example.
Yes, all of my ranting over the years about apartment neighbors and their stereos was not just hot air - it works two ways. I have tried my best not to disturb anyone either, and make sure I'm at least doing my part to make them comfortable in their own homes.
Also, Mr. Rogers was a big influence.
Christine,
I'm finding your postings very interesting, as I'm in a similar situation. I've moved back to Cleveland after 14 years, bringing my librarian wife. I've lived on both coasts and 5 years in Chicago. We're renting in Ohio City and looking to buy a home.
We've been simultaneously pleasantly surprised and horrified by what we're finding. Wonderful restuarants filled with people, but almost no one walking anywhere. Beautiful restored mansions, next to boarded up doubles. A decent number of young professionals, but a lot of no-money-down/section 8 households.
We've pretty much narrowed it down to Edgewater or Westpark. We do want to raise kids, so the safety level needs to be a notch above what we tolerate now. I would love to be able to bike to the beach.
So how have you liked Edgewater in your short stay? Are you in the numbered streets, south of Clifton? Do you see anyone raising kids there?
Also, you said you thought you could advocate for regional government better in the suburbs. I had the opposite thought, that people in the suburbs realize the metro area will be crap if the central city dies. I thought the city residents would resist more. I guess it depends how much redistribution both groups think is going to happen.
I'm glad to hear someone else stays awake at night thinking about these things! I wish we lived in the same neighborhood -- you'd be a good neighbor.
I am actually getting keys to my new house today. Did you sleep more or less after you actually moved in???
Post a Comment
<< Home