Fix Up or Buy a New Home

For me, the choices would be to fix up to buy or to rent.

At this point in my life, renting is the most sensible/flexible option for me.

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I bought a "fixer upper" not realizing how much it would cost to "fix her up". Do I regret it? No, not at all. It's been six years and I still have a few more projects to do, one of which should be done in the next 6 months. I accept that I wont' recoup my total renovation investment but everything I did was necessary. I didn't over-improve the place, I updated it (which it sorely needed). I love where I live in terms of the overall community, my neighbors and the quality of life. I suppose I could have purchased a plot of land and had a home built but it honestly didn't occur to me at the time. I made the right decision for me.

Deb, best of luck with whatever you're considering.
 
At this point in my life, renting is the most sensible/flexible option for me.
I agree. I love my home and have lived in it for around 40 years with my husband. It is not in disrepair, so if anything happened to him, I would do my best to stay here during the rest of my 'golden years'.

But, if the roof was caving in, floors rotting, mold and other major repairs necessary....I'd probably choose renting. As a senior, I wouldn't be buying a new home without my husband. In Deb's case, I think selling the old house and renting in a senior community would be the wise choice. But as you already said, that would be her decision. I assume this was the direction of this thread.
 
I was at that crossroads. My home needed a lot of work. Plus the issue of trying to fond someone for plowing, and mowing. I made the decision that I was no longer willing or able to stay in my house, and , as you know, moved to this apartment.
But there is no one size fits all answer to the question. It is an individual decision. I think I made the right one...for me
 
My home could use some new windows. They are older awning Andersen windows and some of the hardware went bad and can't be opened, but they are windows I really don't have to open anyway. I don't know the age of the roof but I check the attic a few times a year during steady rain. The heating system is bullet proof since it's electric so no problems there. I could get some work done here and there but the place is functional and I'm not fond of a bunch of strangers hanging around doing work. The hardest part any more is cutting the grass. It's either pay to have it done or buy a riding mower. Will decide next year.
 
Home ownership is great....IF a person has the ability to take good care of the place. For me, personally, if/when the day arrives that just mowing the lawn is a major chore, this place will have a "for sale" sign in the yard, and we will be moving to an apartment.
 


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