Owning a home is, on balance, better than not owning a home, but speak to any homeowner, and they’ll tell you that it’s far from perfect. Owning a home might allow you to avoid the frustration of paying rent each month, but it can bring with it a few frustrating, unwelcome issues that you’d rather live without.
Some of these matters are easy to fix (if you know how). Others require a little bit of work. In any case, you don’t have to live with them on a long-term basis. In this post, we’re going to run through some of the most annoying things homeowners face and offer some practical advice on what to do to overcome them.
High Energy Bills
Noticing that your energy bills are increasing? If so, you’re not alone. Most Americans have seen their energy bills increase in the past year, and for many, it’s a cause of stress. Even if you have the money in the bank to cover the rising expenses, no one enjoys spending more than necessary on energy for their property.
You can’t bring energy prices down, but you can influence how much your bills are. Adding insulation to your property and performing an energy audit can make a big difference, as can upgrading your appliances.
If you really want to get a firm grip on your energy bills, then consider installing solar panels. After around a decade, the system will have paid for itself and all the electricity you produce will effectively be free. It sounds like a dream scenario, but it can become a reality when you install solar panels!
Noisy Neighbors
Your home should be a peaceful sanctuary from the craziness of the outside world. Alas, sometimes that craziness finds its way into your home. If you’re dealing with noisy neighbors, then you’ll know that your peace can be disturbed at any moment — and that thought alone can impact how relaxed you feel at your property.
Some noisy neighbors are accidentally noisy. Others are noisy and know it. If you have the former, then speaking to them will typically do the trick; most people don’t want to be a bad neighbor. If it’s the latter, then you’ll need to get more creative. They might be able to live just fine if their dog is barking, but you shouldn’t have to live with it — playing horse noises loudly through a speaker is often enough to send the right message.
No Hot Water
It’s normal to take things for granted. For example, you assume that you’ll always be able to get hot water when you turn on your tap. When it doesn’t happen, well, then you’ve got a problem. Ideally, the ‘no hot water’ situation strikes during the hot summer months, which is probably the only time of the year when taking a cold shower is appealing. If the boiler breaks at any other time, then you’ll need to take action immediately. Rather than trying to figure out what the problem is yourself, it’ll be best to simply get in touch with a boiler repair company. The best ones offer quick service, ensuring that you don’t need to live without hot water for any longer than necessary.
Pest Invasion
It’s nice to have other living creatures living with you, but only the ones that have been invited. Your dog may always be welcome, but pests? Yeah, no. The problem with pests is that it can sometimes take a little while to discover that you have a problem, at which point the infestation has become so large that it’s impossible to take care of it yourself.
There’s only one thing to do when you notice you have a pest problem: call pest control. There are ways to get rid of bed bugs yourself, but the stress and complexity — plus the high risk of failure — means it makes a lot more sense to simply stump up the cash to let the professionals take care of it.
WiFi Dead Zones
It’s strange that we’re all so dependent on the internet when, just a few decades ago, none of us had even heard of it. We can muse on that thought all we like, but the reality is, facing internet problems at your property is annoying. Your internet might work just fine, but if the space where you really want to use it is a WiFi ‘dead zone,’ then you’ll likely grow frustrated. If simply accepting that you can’t use the internet in that area isn’t an option, then look at investing in a WiFi extender. There are plenty of affordable, effective options you can buy that’ll stop you from tearing your hair out.
Cluttered Spaces
Not many people would choose to live in a cluttered home — and yet, that’s just the kind of environment that many people end up living in. After a few years of living in your home, you’ll likely find that you have far more items than you ever planned to have and that they’re slowly but surely impacting your well-being.
Clutter can creep up on a household. We’d recommend taking a look at your space critically and assessing whether it’s being a little too full of stuff. If it is, then clear it out. If you find that you really can’t part with the items, then look at adding additional storage to your home or renting a storage unit.
Buyer’s Remorse
Finally, perhaps one of the most underrated yet impactful things that many homeowners face: buyer’s remorse, which is a feeling of regret at having bought the property in the first place. One study found that nearly half of Americans had at least some regrets about buying their property!
You can’t avoid feeling regretful, but you can change your way of thinking. You might not love every aspect of your home, but guess what, there’s no such thing as a perfect home! Change the things that you can change about your property, and accept the rest — you’ll be much happier that way!