Many years ago I fell in love with houses and have continued that love affair to this day. There have been houses with whom I have lived intimately and others that were just a passing fancy, but all have intrigued me.
Houses should never be taken lightly. They do have personalities and feelings. If its basic needs for love and attention are met, a house can be a lifetime of joy. A mistreated house can become a monster and cause its occupants problems on a grand scale. However, there is a fine line between treating a house well and spoiling it rotten. A spoiled house, like a spoiled child, is a pleasure for no one.
Houses are built to provide shelter for their occupants and, in return, will take most of your money, a great deal of your time and lots of your energy. This is simply a fact of life and is best understood from the first time you step inside. For the uninitiated, the American dream of homeownership does not mean you are a homeowner; you are home-owned.
Think of it in the parenthood mode. You can either make it from scratch or adopt one already built. Either way you have a tax deduction (from 15-30 years, depending on maturity). Be forewarned renting or leasing a house does not really prepare you for ownership. Buying is a commitment that separates owners and renters. It is proclaiming to the world you have made your choice for better or for worse.
It is the nature of houses to be demanding. They want it all now. Be firm; don’t let your house take advantage of you. You have spent your hard-earned savings and taken on debt to be allowed to move into your new home. Allow yourself time to settle in and for you and your new place to get to know each other. Your house will always want new paint, wallpaper, et cetera. You must be the one to set priorities.
Be fully aware your house has delusions of grandeur and wants to outshine all the other houses on the block. Be firm. Let your house know who the boss is. Ask your house what it can do for you, not what you can do for it.
Laura Moore can be emailed at lehmoore1@gmail.com.
