Australian homeowners share the things they overlooked when buying a home that has become a big hassle so others don’t make the same mistake.
From high-maintenance backyard pools to noisy neighbors and even palm trees, homeowners share their biggest problems in their homes that they regret ignoring.
The conversation arose after a house-hunting Redditor asked homeowners what things they should keep in mind and avoid while searching for their dream home.
Many said they were very aware of which trees may need regular, expensive pruning and cause clogged gutters, while others said they drove past the house at rush hour to check for traffic and neighbors.
Others said they are wary of good or bad cell phone reception and are researching which Internet service providers are available in the area.
Australian homeowners share the things they wish they had in their home before they buy, from noisy neighbors to unruly trees.
Many said they are wary of good or bad cell phone reception and research which Internet service providers are available in the area.
‘When buying a house, what did you think was minor but has become the bane of your existence?’ asked one house hunter on Reddit.
It was recommended to look at whether the home has or has space for a dishwasher, how many stairs there are and small details about the floor.
“Never buy a house where the kitchen, laundry room or living room wall is shared with the master bedroom if you are a light sleeper,” said one.
‘There is no dishwasher. I wash the dishes every day and I’m sick of it,’ he replied a second.
One said they were wary of strata rates in apartment complexes, while others advised considering mobile and internet coverage.
‘Strata payments or more specifically, increasing strata payments. Just when you thought the interest rate increases on your mortgage were bad, you unexpectedly receive an extra $500 a quarter for a new capital works fund,’ they warned.
One person said the 15-foot tall bamboo trees that were already in the backyard when they bought their house are “super invasive” and have been growing “wild.”
‘The city I live in has HORRIBLE mobile reception. Luckily my (internet service provider) is great and has great service, so I just connect to the wifi,” said a second.
“The worst thing is that I don’t live in the middle of nowhere; I’m in a suburb of a huge city, so I don’t understand why the service is so bad.”
One said the 15-foot tall bamboo trees that were already in the backyard when they bought their house are “super invasive” and have been growing “wild.”
‘It was raising the granite pool and growing under the foundation of the house. You could see the remains of a kind of ‘barrier’ from the place where they initially planted it, obviously without knowing how bamboo grows,’ they explained.
‘I didn’t know it myself until I bought the house. An absolute nightmare.’
Trees were a hot topic and one man said to always look up and evaluate the canopy growing over the roof.
‘Look where the trees are planted. Are they close to the building or close to the concrete? they asked.
“Many common tree species cause immense damage, from roots that lift up sidewalks to roots that get into pipes and damage foundations if they are too close to the building.”
Another said maintaining the 22 six-metre palm trees on his property was very expensive.
Trees were a hot topic and someone said to always look at and evaluate the canopy growing over the roof: ‘Trees taller than the house are great for shade, but TERRIBLE for gutter maintenance.
Trimming them costs me $1,100 a year. I would never have bought this house if I had known. Then one died and I was heartbroken,” they wrote.
‘Trees taller than the house everywhere. Great for shade, TERRIBLE for gutter maintenance. I have to clean the gutters every two or three storms we have. “It’s crazy how much they lose,” added another.
Many homeowners highly recommend visiting a potential new neighborhood outside of inspection hours before deciding on a home.
‘Go sit and listen. The noises you hear during the week will last FOR YEARS. So be prepared for that,” one user responded.
‘We didn’t realize how busy the street our new house was on was because we visited in the middle of the afternoon. Reversing on a busy road every morning is a huge pain,” said another.
‘Neighbors. If possible, visit on a Friday or Saturday night before purchasing to ensure you don’t go crazy,’ noted a third.
One homeowner said he thought he’d get used to the low ceilings, but regrets it every day, and another said popcorn ceilings are “the worst” for trapping dust.
‘Single bathroom. “I had underestimated the amount of time my husband sat on the toilet,” said one woman.
‘Avoid cantilevered platforms if you can. “It is the number one place in terms of structural failures,” warned a second.
‘A pool. We thought it would be great to have a pool. This is the worst. The chemicals, the cleaning, the maintenance. It’s nothing more than work. If something leaks or breaks, it costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars to fix. “It’s a lot of money just to maintain,” warned another.
“Never buy a house with a pool…unless you’re rich enough to pay someone to take care of it,” one man agreed.