like a junkie needing a fix

[just_cyd]

my house-craving is reaching a new level. i just spent the last 40 minutes searching for and printing info on houses that might be within my reach.

Now that i've got myself moved in and the place(s) decorated in my mind, it's time to figure out what it'll really cost me. 'cept i don't have a freakin' clue! the loan part is easy ~ financial calculators abound in this office. but what costs are involved in home ownership that aren't in renting?

~Property taxes.
~PMI (if i can't scrape together the 20% down).
~increased homeowners insurance (renters insurance is dirt cheap)
~water/sewage
~heat AND electric (no more $30/mo for electric and free heat)
~buying appliances if not included
~paint, carpet, curtains, etc
~lawn care

*big sigh*

but i really really really want to buy a house.

i suppose it's better to have my bubble burst now, rather than get into this and realize i can't afford it.

Comments

Re: like a junkie

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

i know there's a tax benefit to home-ownership, but i've not yet figured it out. i should dig up my 2002 tax return and re-figure it with the assumption that i have a mortgage (financial calculator abound in my office). My one boss cautions me that the tax benefit is not a good enough reason alone to buy a house, and that the cost of maintaining a house can far exceed any tax benefits. but he owns a 100-year-old house that needs lots of updates, and he hates to do that stuff...

and no worries about the hit-n-run post. i've seen you around in queensheba's journal. i'd love to hear any do's and don'ts you have encountered thus far... i'm the Queen of Doing Things The Wrong Way. ;-)