Plans change. Every time you achieve one, you can think of the next one. If you're not able to achieve your current plan, you tend to change plans or go for a backup plan. What's the best choice?
I feel like my heart was broken again when I saw the topics for this week's prompt.
1️⃣ You've earned the money to buy a house, and you have two options. The first is a big, beautiful house, but one whose best years are behind it. It needs a lot of repairs and remodeling, and therefore its price is low. The second option is a small house. It's not as beautiful as the previous one, but you don't have to invest time or money in repairs, so its price is much higher than the previous one. What do you choose? Are you on the "repair to my liking" team or the "buy everything ready and fast" team?
My answer would depend on how much money will be left after I buy the house and the convenience. My husband and I personally experienced this, and we are so heartbroken about how it turned out.
Last 2021, we were able to get to assume a house and lot for a cheap price. We were aware that it has flaws and needs repairs. Since we were already starting a family and being in an LDR is very challenging, we felt like we were in a rush to find a home. We didn’t mind the repairs that needed to be done, as we could work on them. We didn’t live there yet and still haven’t worked on repairs. As soon as we found time to have it fixed, we did.
After a month, we decided to go to my husband’s hometown due to my MIL’s medical condition. We needed to have the house fixed by then because we won’t know when we will come back home. Bills piled up, and funds were cut for the repairs of our house. We still managed to have the major problem fixed in roofing. We still didn’t live there until 2024, due to my husband’s work, but we managed to visit the house from time to time.
In early 2024, I and my husband decided that we’ll go LDR once again while he’s working in the province. We wanted to have a feeling that we have a home, our own home. There are still things that need to be repaired to make the house livable. We are able to have it fixed temporarily so that we will not get sick.
I also managed to DIY some of the things that I can in the house so that we won’t have to spend much. I just wanted the house to look a bit more presentable than before.
Around October of last year, we decided to visit my in-laws again up until Christmas time. From the original plan of visiting them for a few months, our stay there became more permanent due to my husband’s work reassignment. We stayed 5 months more.
Before the school year started, I decided to go back to our house to at least check on it and bring more of our stuff over to my in-law’s house.
Our supposedly happy coming home turned into a disaster. From the feeling of being happy at our home, I felt heartbroken and don’t want to go back there anymore. During our few days of stay there, I felt sadness and tiredness.
As soon as I opened the door, water on the floor broke my heart. I checked upstairs, and one of the rooms was flooded. Our ceiling was leaking. Water dripping from the 2nd floor to the stairs going down to the 1st floor. My heart broke, and I felt like I wanted to cry and scream at the top of my lungs.
I have no choice but to clean up a bit so we can stay safely for just a few days; it was just me and our LO at the house. As much as I wanted to leave the house, I can’t because I need to pack things up for our trip. Tiredness is endured; breaking down is not an option as of the moment. I need to get up, fix things, and cry later.
The feeling of being at home was like being taken away from us. I just want to go back to my husband and feel like I am home again.
Lesson learned…
From our experiences and the troubles we’ve had, we would prefer to choose a house that won’t need repairs. Having a small house with nothing to repair will make us feel comfortable and at home. Choosing a bigger house with much to repair might still cost us the same but be more inconvenient, as we don’t have time to do repairs. If our family gets bigger, maybe we can find a bigger house, and then we can still have the small house rented.
Choose a house that will be good for your convenience. Choose a home that will make you feel good to have a home. Choose a house that will cater to your needs. The important part is you still have something to spend after you buy a property to make your house feel like a home.
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all images are mine and edited from Canva.