A Home Of Your Own To Be Thankful For

First Time Buyers Have Ample Reason To Feel Thankful This Season 

As 2023 winds down, lots of families are considering their options for homeownership in the new year…or maybe even sooner! And as Generation Z enters the housing market, more and more of those families include young people, renting or living with family, who are starting to consider home ownership. If that sounds like you, wondering whether owning a home is worth it in the long run, you’ve come to the right place. 

Plenty of resources (on my blog and elsewhere) will tell you all the logistical benefits of owning a home.. From the joys of yard space all the way up to building wealth through equity, you’ve got every reason to take the next step into ownership for yourself and your family. But as it’s the holiday season, I wanted to use this month’s blog to explore some of the more intangible parts of owning a house…namely, the things that put the heart in the home. 

Owning A Home Provides Security  

Say goodbye to rowdy upstairs neighbors stomping overhead while you’re trying to relax, or the twinge of anxiety you feel as you add yet another lock to your apartment door. Owning a home is more than just possessing a piece of land. It offers a level of privacy and security you don’t see in most apartments, and comes along with rights and protections to match. When you own a home, it becomes your own personal sanctuary; a place where you can feel safe, comfortable, and (if you’re an introvert like me) blissfully left alone. 

No Landlord To Hinder Your Personal Expression

I’m sure you’ve seen them on social media – all the “renter friendly” tips and tricks that claim to help you decorate your apartment to some degree without inciting the ire (or lost security deposits) of your landlord. I remember living in a townhome, hating the bright blue carpet but being unable to do anything about it aside from tossing a rug here and there, not being allowed to paint the walls or damage them by covering the old paint with picture frames or paintings. 

In a home you own, there’s no landlord to tell you that you’re not allowed to try that trimwork project you saw online. Nobody to upcharge you for repainting costs if you decide to paint your bathroom bubblegum pink. Wallpaper, trim, and upgrade to your heart’s content. Don’t like your fridge, your showerhead, or the chandelier above your dining room table? There’s nothing to stop you from going to Home Depot or Lowe’s and living all your wildest HGTV dreams. 

Community and Connectivity 

Despite the fact that single family homes are more spread out than their apartment or condo counterparts, the sense of community is far more pronounced in an established community than you’ll find in any apartment complex. Staying in a community long-term solidifies you as a staple in your area, where you’ll see your neighbors out walking their dogs in the mornings or see children from down the street biking home from school in the afternoon. Even beyond those little moments of connection, many communities provide amenities like pools, gyms, playgrounds, and local community events to bring folks together where they can meet and connect with their neighbors. 

Building Lifelong Memories 

Now here’s where we get to my favorite part: the memories you build in a home of your own. Of course, no matter where you live, you’re always building meaningful memories and sharing your life with the ones you love. But what homeownership uniquely offers is the permanent, tangible reflection of those memories right within your home. 

The first home I ever owned, we used markers to mark the heights of my four kids as they grew, all the way from infancy to young adulthood. That home also bore the chew marks my first dog, Stormy, left on the floor boards, and the slightly crooked railing where she nearly got her head stuck while watching my husband mow the front lawn from the porch. The other homes I’ve been fortunate enough to own since also bear similar scars of a life lived in love. 

Homeownership offers you the privilege of being around those marks every day, enjoying them instead of worrying about whether it’s going to cost you a security deposit or affect your rent or ruin your relationship with your landlord. And that, my friends, is something to be thankful for. 

Give Yourself Something To Be Thankful For 

While there are ample reasons to purchase a home instead of renting for financial reasons, there are just as many considerations that transcend the financial and hit straight to the heart. If you’re contemplating making Horizon West your home, I’m here to help guide you through the process. Call or text me on my cell at 407-848-8042, email me at amy@heartandhomeorlando.com, or submit a wishlist right here on my website to start your journey to homeownership! 

Have questions? Let me know in the comments!