As children, many of us assumed that one day we would grow up and own our own homes. That’s the logical conclusion that you come to when you imagine yourself with a "big boy" or "big girl" job that pays enough to have a comfortable life, right? And while not everyone has the desire to purchase a house, as some of us are more interested in traveling frequently and don’t need much space to be happy, having the option to be able to buy a house is something we should all have.

Unfortunately, however, given the ridiculous rise of inflation, student debt, and home prices in recent years, buying a humble abode is looking less and less possible for many people. In 2020, the homeownership rate in the US hit the lowest point it had in 50 years, reaching 63.1%. Meanwhile, housing prices increased a whopping 18.7% between 2021 and 2022, and they don’t seem to be declining any time soon. So at this point, it seems like buying any home at all would be a dream.  

But just because you’ve been able to reach that milestone of purchasing your own home, or the home you’ve always dreamed of, doesn’t mean the hard part is over. In fact, it might just be getting started. As of 2023, the average monthly mortgage payment for homeowners in the US is $2,317, and the average mortgage term is 30 years. So it’s understandable when homeowners are upset if surprises creep up after they’ve already moved in or started making payments on what was supposed to be a wonderful home.

To learn more about what homeowners should expect after purchasing a house, we reached out to Diane Henkler, the woman behind In My Own Style. Diane is an expert on home design and DIY projects that will help spice up your humble abode, so we wanted to hear her thoughts on when things go wrong after moving into a new home.

"Something will always go wrong, from your vision of what can be done in the home not turning out how you planned to existing furniture not fitting to finding unseen problems in the plumbing or electrical that need more than a DIY knows how to do," Diane shared.

"Little things can go wrong as well, such as the holes in cabinets not matching up to the new door hardware you bought or not buying enough paint or wallpaper to do the job and then not being able to get back to the store right away to finish the job."

"Just know something will go wrong - just hope it is a small inconvenience and nothing that will cost thousands of dollars to fix," the expert added.

If you start having regrets after moving into your new home, Diane says it's important to keep your expectations realistic. "Most of us want to jump right in and start decorating and making a new home look like a vision board," she told Bored Panda. "This leads to let down. It is always smart to let the decor slowly evolve over time, so you can live in the space and find out what it actually needs to be a functioning space. It will only be a temporary situation, so live in the space and see what it needs not only in furnishings, but color and light."

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to have a flawless house either. "A home will never be perfect, and if it does look perfect, then no one is living in it," Diane noted. "Homes are meant to be lived in, change will happen, tastes change, we get older, kids grow and have new interests that will need new space or storage."

"It is one of the most exciting events in our lives to purchase a home of our own," Diane says. "Don't jump right in. Move in and live in the space, then start gathering inspiration in the way of a mood board where you compile the furnishings and color scheme you like. Make a board or a file of clippings from decorating magazines for every room."

"Remember now that you own a whole home, you want the rooms to flow nicely together," the design expert added. "From the get go, choose a few colors and accent colors for the home. The rooms don't have to be the same color scheme, but try to add at least one of the colors to each room so you create a flow."

If you'd like to hear more design tips from Diane or find DIY projects that would be great for your own home, be sure to visit In My Own Style!

While we would like to assume that sellers will be upfront and honest about the flaws of their homes, buyers have to understand that they can’t always give sellers the benefit of the doubt. There are even some places that have “loophole laws” that can make it easier for sellers to avoid disclosing certain information. For example, in New York State, sellers can keep some flaws to themselves as long as they “pay a $500 credit to the buyer at closing.” In Texas, sellers also don’t have to inform future residents of “deaths from natural causes, suicides, or accidents unrelated to the property."

Unfortunately, most issues that creep up after the sale become the buyer’s responsibility. Orchard notes on their blog that even if an inspector took a look at the property before you bought it, there are certain areas that they might not have been required to check. Or, if you decided to waive the inspection before purchasing the house, you agreed to take it as-is. If a seller was actually aware of an issue and decided not to disclose it, then they may be liable. But this can be hard to prove, so usually, the responsibility falls on the new homeowners. Lucky for them! 

You’re not necessarily doomed if your house starts revealing unexpected defects after you’ve purchased it or moved in, though. According to Ryan Milo, associate broker at Inked Michigan Realty, a warranty may be able to help you out. "Buyers may opt for a home warranty," Milo told US News. "These can be paid for by the buyer or seller and typically will run for one year. There are limitations to each repair and most homeowners will have to pay an initial fee for each claim, typically running up to one hundred dollars."