What, All By Yourself?!

I hadn’t really planned on becoming a homeowner. I would have thought it’d be cool to live in some posh luxury apartment in downtown DC, with a 24-hour onsite gym and a doorman. When I calculated it all though, it seemed to be a waste of money. Don't get me wrong, renting vs. buying is not a right or wrong scenario; it’s about what works best for that individual. And renting an apartment for tens of thousands of dollars per year just wasn’t for me.

I started talking to friends about my plans to start the home buying process and received all sorts of great advice. Most were supportive right away, but I did get some well-intended, yet intrusive questions:

• Don’t you want to wait until you get married?
• What if you find someone?
• What will happen to your house then?
• Will he move in with you?
• What if you have to sell your house?

My internal response to all of these is, “why do I have to base my current life decisions on a situation that doesn’t yet exist?”

New dining table accessories

Single women home-ownership still isn’t all that common in my neighborhood full of young families and older retirees. Even though my neighbors are really nice and friendly, I still feel out of place sometimes. During construction work at the house before I moved in, I had several of my neighbors asking, “so when are you guys moving in?” One of the home buying apps I was using to narrow down my property search had a pop-up that unexpectedly asked, “Are you searching with someone?”

I’m not looking for special treatment as a single woman home buyer, but I just wanted to point out how it can be a little alienating to go through a process that doesn’t really seem to be built for me.

Interestingly enough, home-ownership among single women is on the rise. A lot of women find themselves single for various reasons but would still like to own real estate and more and more of us are taking the plunge. Of course making a large purchase is better with two incomes but with the proper planning and support, it can be done successfully as a single person.

Dark blue bedroom walls? I do what I want.

My advice for young women looking to buy a home: research, research, research! It also helps to have friends or family who can guide you through the process, but you really just have to dig in yourself to learn as much as you can. Of course the financials are the most important aspect, but think outside the box! There a lot of opportunities out there in the way of grants, and special programs.

It's nice to have help with furniture assembly.

Despite the downer feelings sometimes, it doesn’t compare with the feeling of freedom I get from knowing that this house is mine. I also love to host my friends over. I used to live in a 400 sq. ft. studio apartment that I thought was really cool, but seriously hampered my hosting abilities. Now, I can throw all kinds of shindigs. In fact, I’ve had as many as 60 people come though. I’ve hosted theme parties, and ladies’ nights and informal dinners, and overnight guests. It makes my heart feel happy and tingly when my home is full of good people. It makes me feel proud that they want to be there and enjoy my house with me.

Final words of advice, if home-ownership is a dream of yours, and you feel you're ready, DO IT! In the words of the wise Kevin Gnapoor, "Don't let the haters stop you from doing your thang."

As always, thanks for reading!

I'm trying to be green with my modern push mower.