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Why not buy your first house at 56 years old

Draconator

By Draconator
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Draconator

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Ok. The back story. 

 

I'm bipolar. Diagnosed and all that. Not a big secret as my life is pretty much an open book. Back in my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, any income I had went to bars, dinners, etc. Rent and such be damned! (Such as the life of one with Bipolar). 

 

Fast forward to the mid-'40s, and I found a psychiatrist who authorized a medication I was aware of that had good success with others with the same diagnosis. Now 8 years on that medication, and I could actually pay rent and the like. Not only that, but I can actually hold down a good job for more than 3 months at a time. 

 

So yeah. My wonderful wife and I are buying our first house together. She is a previous homeowner with her prior husband. But for me? First-time homebuyer. No time like the present yo. 

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Punching Bag Hall of Famer

Punching Bag

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Since you are buying first home when you are older do not plan as many do on selling and upgrading.  

Don't buy more than you need and it may take a little time to determine what you need.

Make sure you get a professional evaluation of any house you buy.  We had one on a house which was bought from bank and there were a lot of things which did not satisfy code and needed to be fixed and could not be sold "as is".

 

Been asked a lot on house buying. Paid off both my houses in less than half of mortgage period.  Send me a PM if you have specific questions.

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Another Fan Veteran

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7 hours ago, Draconator said:

Ok. The back story. 

 

I'm bipolar. Diagnosed and all that. Not a big secret as my life is pretty much an open book. Back in my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, any income I had went to bars, dinners, etc. Rent and such be damned! (Such as the life of one with Bipolar). 

 

Fast forward to the mid-'40s, and I found a psychiatrist who authorized a medication I was aware of that had good success with others with the same diagnosis. Now 8 years on that medication, and I could actually pay rent and the like. Not only that, but I can actually hold down a good job for more than 3 months at a time. 

 

So yeah. My wonderful wife and I are buying our first house together. She is a previous homeowner with her prior husband. But for me? First-time homebuyer. No time like the present yo. 

Thanks for sharing.  
 

Im in my late 30s with a diagnosis of autism recently and feel odd never owning or aspiring to own property right now.  But it’s something I want to do 

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Draconator Veteran

Draconator

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1 hour ago, Another Fan said:

Thanks for sharing.  
 

Im in my late 30s with a diagnosis of autism recently and feel odd never owning or aspiring to own property right now.  But it’s something I want to do 

 

If you want to, you will!

 

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Draconator Veteran

Draconator

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6 hours ago, Limeaid said:

Since you are buying first home when you are older do not plan as many do on selling and upgrading.  

Don't buy more than you need and it may take a little time to determine what you need.

Make sure you get a professional evaluation of any house you buy.  We had one on a house which was bought from bank and there were a lot of things which did not satisfy code and needed to be fixed and could not be sold "as is".

 

Been asked a lot on house buying. Paid off both my houses in less than half of mortgage period.  Send me a PM if you have specific questions.

 

We're buying based on location. It's the halfway point between the villages of Orchard Park and East Aurora. 7 minutes from Route 400. Nice and easy. 

 

As for the house, I was thinking of this huge expansion. But now that we're in it, it really doesn't need much. We would like to put dormers on the upstairs to give it 2 proper bedrooms and add a bathroom. As for the downstairs, maybe a new garage attached to the house for my wife during the winters. 

 

Just now, WhoTom said:

Congrats! Being a homeowner is a challenge, but it looks like you've overcome some bigger challenges, so I'm sure you'll handle this too.

 

 

Thank you!

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boyst Hall of Famer

boyst

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6 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

And lose out on the pleasure of having someone charge you a few hundred bucks to come to your house and tell you that that warranty doesn't actually cover anything?

Bingo. My wife had one in a previous house and somehow it ended up working to her benefit. She got one for our last house at a reduced rate. It covered nothing and she did a contract. Luck wasn't on our side for it. Eventually after they denied assistance we said we are going to stop paying. They threatened us with recourse but gave up when I kept submitting paperwork for something they should have covered. Like, literally 3 times a week submitting a new claim on miscellaneous issues. It drove them crazy since they had to assign case numbers and managers to each. But, they let us out of the contract.

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Draconator Veteran

Draconator

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6 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Congrats! That’s a big accomplishment and something to be proud of!

Thank you!

1 hour ago, aristocrat said:

Buy up to a four plex and you can have no mortgage 

 

Mortgages don't scare us, but a 4 plex down the road is a sound investment plan. 

2 hours ago, boyst said:

Oh. And don't get a home warranty. They're trash. 

Exactly

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WhoTom All Pro

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3 hours ago, boyst said:

Oh. And don't get a home warranty. They're trash. 

 

Better yet, get the seller to toss it in at no extra cost. We did that with our current house. After the 1st winter, the furnace died. While the home warranty didn't pay for a replacement, they did offer a few grand to repair the old one. We took the money and applied it toward a new one. And we didn't renew the home warranty after that.

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boater Veteran

boater

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Congratulations! It's nice not to rent. Though, you'll find the rigors of homeownership conflict with your body as you advance in age.

 

When I reach my 70s I plan on a senior apartment. No more shoveling, snow blowing, and lawn mowing.

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Augie Hall of Famer

Augie

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16 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Congrats!  And all the best to you and your wife!

 

Home ownership comes with it's challenges - feels like everything has been breaking or aging-out for us lately. Frustrating as hell but in the end well worth it.

 

 

 

Our son and his wife used to rent a townhouse from us (well below market rent, of course) and we’d hear about it every time the oven broke or they had a plumbing issue. I’d wait all day for the guy to show, then order parts so I could wait all day again when the parts came in. Then I would pay for it all. 

 

They bought their first house about a year ago. It was a rude awakening for my cheapskate son! 😂 

 

Congrats to @Draconator on the first house. It’s nice to be able to do what you want with the property and benefit from the value you add. 

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Draconator Veteran

Draconator

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14 minutes ago, UConn James said:

Great for you!

 

Get a GOOD home inspector when you find something you’re very interested in, especially when you have little / no experience with homeownership.

Done and very good. 

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ChevyVanMiller Veteran

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On 6/25/2023 at 11:50 PM, Draconator said:

Ok. The back story. 

 

I'm bipolar. Diagnosed and all that. Not a big secret as my life is pretty much an open book. Back in my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, any income I had went to bars, dinners, etc. Rent and such be damned! (Such as the life of one with Bipolar). 

 

Fast forward to the mid-'40s, and I found a psychiatrist who authorized a medication I was aware of that had good success with others with the same diagnosis. Now 8 years on that medication, and I could actually pay rent and the like. Not only that, but I can actually hold down a good job for more than 3 months at a time. 

 

So yeah. My wonderful wife and I are buying our first house together. She is a previous homeowner with her prior husband. But for me? First-time homebuyer. No time like the present yo. 

So happy for you that you found the right doctor to help you with your condition. Congratulations on becoming a homeowner. Wish you nothing but happiness and wonderful memories made in that home.

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On 6/25/2023 at 11:50 PM, Draconator said:

Ok. The back story. 

 

I'm bipolar. Diagnosed and all that. Not a big secret as my life is pretty much an open book. Back in my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, any income I had went to bars, dinners, etc. Rent and such be damned! (Such as the life of one with Bipolar). 

 

Fast forward to the mid-'40s, and I found a psychiatrist who authorized a medication I was aware of that had good success with others with the same diagnosis. Now 8 years on that medication, and I could actually pay rent and the like. Not only that, but I can actually hold down a good job for more than 3 months at a time. 

 

So yeah. My wonderful wife and I are buying our first house together. She is a previous homeowner with her prior husband. But for me? First-time homebuyer. No time like the present yo. 

 

Congratulations on buying your first home, but especially for gaining control over your illness so that you can have a better life, with or without your own home!

 

 

 

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Augie Hall of Famer

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7 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Good location.

Are you giving discounts to parking?

 

 

Forget parking! Follow the Green Bay/Lambeau route and put signs in the yard that say “Park And Pee - $30.” The closer you get to the stadium the more the price goes up. Park in the yard and driveway, and either use the bathroom inside the house or they set up porta-potties. 

 

If @Draconator is that close to Hammer’s, he could offer a Premium Potty Package and it would pay for him to go to games for the rest of his life. 

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Miyagi-Do Karate Hall of Famer

Miyagi-Do Karate

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On 6/25/2023 at 11:50 PM, Draconator said:

Ok. The back story. 

 

I'm bipolar. Diagnosed and all that. Not a big secret as my life is pretty much an open book. Back in my 20's, 30's, and early 40's, any income I had went to bars, dinners, etc. Rent and such be damned! (Such as the life of one with Bipolar). 

 

Fast forward to the mid-'40s, and I found a psychiatrist who authorized a medication I was aware of that had good success with others with the same diagnosis. Now 8 years on that medication, and I could actually pay rent and the like. Not only that, but I can actually hold down a good job for more than 3 months at a time. 

 

So yeah. My wonderful wife and I are buying our first house together. She is a previous homeowner with her prior husband. But for me? First-time homebuyer. No time like the present yo. 


Congrats! 
 

For me, home ownership was about one thing and one thing alone: the ability to put up a DIRECTV dish to buy Sunday Ticket! 
 

(Now that DIRECTV has lost Ticket, maybe I should sell my house and just rent!)

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On 6/26/2023 at 10:42 AM, Jauronimo said:

And lose out on the pleasure of having someone charge you a few hundred bucks to come to your house and tell you that that warranty doesn't actually cover anything?

 

 

Or even when it does they will not process the payment and you will spend miserable hours on the phone trying to get them to do so.

 

@Draconator - congratulations on joining the property tax paying citizens of America!!! Awesome turnaround in your life and you have every right to  be proud.

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Beck Water All Pro

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On 6/25/2023 at 11:06 PM, SinceThe70s said:

 

Congrats!  And all the best to you and your wife!

 

Home ownership comes with it's challenges - feels like everything has been breaking or aging-out for us lately. Frustrating as hell but in the end well worth it.

 

Congrats from here too!

 

If you're handy, @Draconator, disregard.  If you're not, one popular strategy is to obtain a home warranty.  My niece is pretty busy with a demanding job and 3 kids, and fix-and-repair is NOT her husband's thing.  So she got one, and has found it's paid off many times over.  Her drier breaks?  Call the warranty company.  AC?  Ditto.

 

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/what-is-a-home-warranty/

 

Just be careful to look at reviews and at the fine print of what's covered and what's not.

On 6/26/2023 at 8:11 AM, boyst said:

Oh. And don't get a home warranty. They're trash. 

 

On 6/26/2023 at 9:42 AM, Jauronimo said:

And lose out on the pleasure of having someone charge you a few hundred bucks to come to your house and tell you that that warranty doesn't actually cover anything?

 

I think this just highlights the need to research the company in question - even Boyst admits it worked out in his wife's favor on her previous house.  Same with my niece.

 

We don't have one ourselves, but we're highly fortunate to be able to fix a lot of stuff ourselves.

Edited by Beck Water
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Punching Bag Hall of Famer

Punching Bag

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12 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

We don't have one ourselves, but we're highly fortunate to be able to fix a lot of stuff ourselves.

 

I am terrible at this kind of thing but my wife is much better. Her elder brothers taught her.

 

We did have an issue with heater once and I opened the controls and used vacuum cleaner to blow dust out of it and it worked again.

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