You did it! You got the keys, the sellers are all moved out, you unlock the front door, step in, and Yes… the house is ALLLL YOURS!!!

You spend a full weekend hauling in furniture and boxes, clothes and dishes, food and enough knick knacks to start a variety store. Home sweet home, the American Dream!

Then, WHAM!!! It hits you on the 2nd night there, when you click off the lights and go to swing the door shut on the master bedroom: Squeeeeekkk! A nasty, dry, squeeky hinge. How incredibly irritating! How come the inspector didn’t mention that? You fall asleep that night feeling “violated” that your “new” house isn’t — gasp — perfect.

The next morning, it happens again when you finish brushing your teeth and go to turn off the faucet. Drip, drip, drip, drip…

“What the…?” you think. A drippy faucet?! But I just moved in?

• Then a rattling furnace.
• Then a sticky window.
• Then a buzzing ‘fridge.
• Then a loose toilet.
• Then a separating caulk joint.
• Then chipping paint.
• Then moss on the roof.
• Then crap in the gutters.
• Then the garage door opener quits.
• Then…
• Then…
• Then…

Reality check! Houses aren’t hunks of granite or even Swiss watches. Especially in the Pacific NW where cold, rainy, windy weather is par for the course. Houses are like needy cats; they need near-constant affection.

It’s not the seller’s fault, and it’s not the home inspector’s responsibility to address the laundry list of goings-on with any home that result in you having to fix, care for, maintain, re-build, re-seal, clean, tighten, replace, shore up, re-stack, loosen, scrape, tinker with and otherwise nurture your home through its lifespan of keeping the rain off your head. It’s just part of the blissful reality of home-ownership.

Know that, you, before engaging in it. And you’ll find the whole experience a LOT more rewarding.