Why didn't we just rent!

You know how excited you get about the prospect of buying a home after months or years of renting? How you think it will be so great to be able to paint and hang pictures, finally. How everything will be sunshine and roses every day since you actually own your home (well, you don't own it the bank does). No landlord telling you what you can and can't do. You will be queen of your own castle.

Ah, why didn't we just rent! Now we HAVE to paint. We have to fill the holes from the pictures we've hung. And, there are have been more dark clouds and weeds than I care to count! Buying a home is like falling in love (with the wrong guy). You just see all the wonderful things and completely overlook the very real things that are going to haunt you until you dump the house (or the guy). I want a landlord telling me what I can and can't do. I want a landlord that I can call when something breaks. I want a landlord who will need to repaint, re-carpet, and provide all the maintenance I've been doing for the last 6 years. I don't want to own another home for a loooooong time. I don't have the energy for the endless amount of work it takes.

Example, yes please. Painting. We have painted the entire interior of the house once, when we moved in. Now we are on round two. Why? Well because after almost 6 years those walls need to be repainted! The first time around we were really in a hurry and could have done a better job. Only my eyes see it, my DrH can't tell. But most importantly you'd be amazed at how many marks show up during 6 years. Unintentional marks, and then those marks that those little kids decide to make. Like my 5 and 3 year old daughters room: might as well be graffiti. It is bad and must be repainted. And I get to do the painting myself, because I went and married a doctor.... I didn't realize at the time that I would be painting by myself, and doing all the work while also tending 4 small children. It's amazing I am still standing today.... sorry you get to hear about it, but the DrH isn't home!!!!!

The kicker is that now we have to pretty up this house as best as we can to attract a buyer! Yes, we have to find a buyer and not just any buyer, but one who will pay enough to pay off our mortgage. Still stressing about that one. Just 3 months until the For Sale sign goes up in the yard and at least 3 months worth of stuff to get done just in time for the snow to start falling.

Yeah, having a house is great - it will be even better when it is gone and I rent someone else's house, or an apartment is looking really good about now.

Advice from someone on the tail end of a residency - don't buy a house! You have no idea what you are getting yourself into.