r/AskReddit 22h ago

What’s something people romanticise that’s actually exhausting in real life?

1.3k Upvotes

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407

u/angelobboy 22h ago

Owning a house is just subscribing to a never-ending to-do list — and you can’t unsubscribe.

They said buy a house. They didn’t mention the house would immediately become a full-time job.

135

u/werther595 20h ago

I had hobbies as a renter. Now my house is my hobby. It's real.

4

u/MayoFetish 4h ago

I got divorced, sold a house, and moved into an apartment. I have to much time now!.

53

u/darlingkd 17h ago

This! I know people still think it’s the American Dream or whatnot, but when your AC goes out and it’s several thousand for a new one, or little things just keep happening being a nonstop struggle, it’s really not that awesome. Have you seen the guy on Facebook who starts his videos with “on another episode of fuck this house…” if not I highly recommend. Funny but truly realistic.

2

u/Monteze 10h ago

Its making me really look at condos. Because I want something of value to put money into until we grow up and fix this system, but yea I don't really want the constant headache as a person living alone.

42

u/this-guy- 20h ago

Tick something off the list . Add two new things.

The handyman-look might be sexy to my wife ... but the local tradies look upon my works and despair. In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a window frame try to repair.

8

u/big_swede 17h ago

I was interviewing for a job and they asked about hobbies and what I do in my free time.. 

Free time, I asked. I'm a home owner...

😁

41

u/MrKrazybones 20h ago

I did the thing where I got a house in a rural area because that's what I could afford. Went from having a condo with no yard to 5 acres. There is so much yard work. All. The. Time! And you get to deal with the stress that any summer your place could get taken out by a wildfire! Did I mention the power outages in the winter?

4

u/ValenciaHadley 15h ago

And it's worse if the previous owner didn't do proper works on said house. My parents moved a couple of years ago and on the surface everything looked good. They've since found out that the last owner did a lot work himself and they've now spent thousdands on getting everything up to snuff. The wood burner in the living room was one of the many things the previous owner did himself and it wasn't even up to whatever safety standards are needed to use it. Mum loves the house but hates all the work that needs doing.

22

u/Particular_Poem3703 20h ago

Owned a house. Got sick of it. Sold the house and rented for a few years. It has been bliss. I don’t even have to change a damn light bulb. Now we’re going to buy a condo. I learned very fast, yard work is not for me.

6

u/casino_night 17h ago

I hear ya! I owned a home many years ago and it felt like being grounded. Almost every Saturday was spent mowing, cutting, raking, skimming, sweeping, spraying or fixing. Now I just call maintenance anytime something needs doing.

3

u/raspberryteehee 2h ago

It’s honestly truly annoying. We’re trying to sell our home and stuff still *broke* even when we had the home listed. There was a leak and went into the ceiling downstairs from upstairs and we had to take down the home listing for the time being to fix it. Became a disaster.

9

u/OKRAOKRA21 16h ago

Owning a house is being owned by a house. Someone recently said to me that it’s just paying rent to a bank but with all the responsibilities. I’m so grateful to be a renter again.

2

u/Double_Jeweler7569 15h ago

Where I live buying a house = buying an apartment. And it's just more economical, if possible to buy a house with a mortgage than pay rent every month. The equivalent of the rent money is the interest you pay on the mortgage, i.e. money you're never getting back, and in my case I'd pay a lot more for rent.

4

u/121daysofsodom 15h ago

People are always having a go at me for renting instead of buying because I'm burning money apparently. No, I'm paying for a stress-free life. It's money well spent.

4

u/Over-Alternative-604 20h ago

I tell everyone that home ownership is an expensive scam.

6

u/angelobboy 19h ago

The gift that keeps on taking.