Do you think there is a "honeymoon phase" after buying a home? (condo, property)
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Obviously people tend to be very excited and happy after they buy a home (especially if it's a first-time buyer). In your experience, have you found this happiness level stays high as long as you're living in the home?
Or is it more like a honeymoon phase, where the happiness and excitement eventually wears off? If it did wear off for you, what was the cause (discovered house shortcomings, expensive repairs, hedonistic adaptation, etc)? If the excitement never really wore off, what aspects of the house do you think contributed to that?
Obviously people tend to be very excited and happy after they buy a home (especially if it's a first-time buyer). In your experience, have you found this happiness level stays high as long as you're living in the home?
Or is it more like a honeymoon phase, where the happiness and excitement eventually wears off? If it did wear off for you, what was the cause (discovered house shortcomings, expensive repairs, hedonistic adaptation, etc)? If the excitement never really wore off, what aspects of the house do you think contributed to that?
Yes there is definitely a honeymoon phase, even for a dream house that you forever love. I say this because the "newness wears off" The excitement of a different life and the first few weeks/months and even first year of living in a new house and a new location. We are in our forever/dream house, we still love it to death even with all the issues we have unearthed. The honeymoon phase in this house lasted a long time too. At least a year. Because seeing the house and exploring the area in all seasons was all new to me. The fact is, after 3 years here the new adventure is no longer new, most of everything has been explored and experienced, so that part of the excitement has waned. House renovations and projects as well as new friends and experiences help to keep the house exciting but its definitely different now vs the first year.
Obviously people tend to be very excited and happy after they buy a home (especially if it's a first-time buyer). In your experience, have you found this happiness level stays high as long as you're living in the home?
Or is it more like a honeymoon phase, where the happiness and excitement eventually wears off? If it did wear off for you, what was the cause (discovered house shortcomings, expensive repairs, hedonistic adaptation, etc)? If the excitement never really wore off, what aspects of the house do you think contributed to that?
I've found the honeymoon phase wasn't so much due to the house itself, it was due to the location and the property on which the house stood. The house's inevitable quirks and little weirdnesses (the "who the heck would choose to do THAT to/choose THAT for their own home"? type discoveries) tended to keep the honeymoon very very short. Even the 4 year old house I just bought from the people who built it. Mechanically everything works, but there are still things that make me question the builder's cognitive abilities. Probably true even in a truly new house. Not that I ended up hating any of the houses I bought, but they have all needed unexpected work so I transitioned to a state of wry realism fairly fast. I've also found my "love" for a house waxed and waned with time. The locale kept its charm more consistently and longer.
Last edited by Parnassia; 12-01-2020 at 04:02 PM..
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I don't think so. This house was a dream when we bought it, twice as big, half as old, with a lot 3 times larger than our previous house. We have been here 27 years and though it's too big for us now that the kids are grown we still love it. We intend to sell and pay cash for a smaller place farther out when we retire in 2-3 years but will miss this house. It's the elbow room, wooded area, lack of traffic, peace and quiet, lack of crime, valley and mountain views. We have replaced the roof twice, all of the windows, and a lot of other work but that applies to any house that you keep long enough, it's not a negative as far as enjoyment of the house.
It's been over a year since we moved into our current home. The honeymoon is definitely NOT over! I wake up smiling! The view, the house, the quirks...I absolutely love this house. I hope I can live here forever. It's an older home and if I have my way, it will at least be on a local historical homes list someday.
My other home was beautiful. I loved that home. The honeymoon was over once the neighborhood took a down turn in 2008. So for 8 years it was awesome! I do not miss that home at all.
I'm still in love with the condo I bought in Hawaii. Even though I do not like the relative high monthly payments, I love my place and the area it's in. I feel truly lucky to have it. Note, I bought it back in July 2016.
FOr some people maybe, but not for me. I tend to keep emotions out of decisions and think realistically.
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