3 Things I Dislike the Most About Being a Homeowner

There are definitely some downsides to owning your own place.

Owning my own home has been a great decision. My property has increased in value since I bought it, and I've been able to customize my house to make it my own. But despite the fact that I've been a homeowner for more than a decade and don't regret my choice to buy, there are a few key aspects of ownership that I really dislike.

Before buying a house of your own, it's worth considering whether these downsides that bother me could also affect your enjoyment of a property -- and whether ownership still makes sense for you despite the disadvantages.

Here are three of the biggest things I dislike about homeownership.

1. Property taxes

The biggest downside I've found with owning my house is the high property taxes that I have to pay. My property taxes have gone up most years since I bought my house, and they total many thousands of dollars per year.

Unfortunately, property taxes are something I'll be stuck with the entire time I own my home. So while I will someday pay my mortgage off in full, I'll always still have a housing payment I have to make.

And while landlords can pass the cost of property tax increases on to renters if the market allows it, renters aren't as directly responsible as owners are for the rising cost of taxes each year. If property taxes go up substantially, landlords may still be able to raise rents only so much in order to remain competitive. But there's nothing I can do if my township decides a big rate increase is in order.

2. Ongoing repair and maintenance costs

The ongoing expenses associated with repairing and maintaining my home are another huge downside. Although my house is only a decade old, we've already had a roof leak during bad weather, a problem with our heating unit, a disposal break, and a host of other major and minor issues.

I don't have a landlord to call when these problems arise. Not only do I have to pay for the repairs myself, but I also have to find professionals to come and make fixes. This takes time, and the costs are unexpected and out of my control. This makes the expenses associated with homeownership somewhat unpredictable, and makes me glad I have both a home repair fund and an emergency fund.

3. Responsibility for outdoor work

Taking care of outdoor maintenance is also an unpleasant aspect of homeownership. It takes time to maintain the property, including mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, and weeding the gardens. It also costs money, either because I have to buy and maintain equipment or pay someone to handle the work for me.

In a condo or apartment, all these outdoor maintenance tasks would have been handled for me so I wouldn't have to worry about them directly. But as a homeowner, it's up to me.

While I can live with all these things, the reason they are mere inconveniences and not major burdens is because I anticipated the time and money costs that would come with homeownership. If you don't think about these issues before you buy, you could end up really regretting your choice to own a place of your own.