Personal Finance

The 3 Worst Financial Decisions I’ve Made All Have One Thing in Common—Here’s What I Wish I Knew Sooner

Dana George

Published: February 6, 2025 3:47 pm

Like the boat my father built when I was a kid, my budget occasionally springs a leak until I find an actionable way to make repairs. However, the three most significant financial losses I have ever suffered have had one thing in common: Buying a house before the time was right.

I wanted to believe

I’ve been married for a very long time to a guy who’s everything I’m not. He’s excellent in emergencies, enjoys crowds, loves to travel, and is always up for an adventure. We could not be more different. Still, I’ve supported his need for new challenges and desire to see the world. And therein lies the problem.

Our most recent move was number 24. As much as my husband craves new experiences, I crave stability and envy those with firmly planted roots. And that desire has led to some foolish financial decisions on my part.

How long do I need to live in a house to make it worth buying?

There have been three times over the years when I’ve convinced myself this was our final move and the wisest financial decision would be to buy a house. I wanted to believe we would fall in love with a new country, state, or city and build a life there. To hurry the process, I would house hunt, find something I adored, and buy it. And I’d do all this before considering what would happen if everything went belly up.

To further compound the issue, I would spend a small fortune “making the house mine.” Usually, that meant new flooring, paint, appliances, and landscaping. If this all sounds quite ridiculous, that’s because it was.

Most experts agree that it only makes sense to purchase a house if you plan to stay there for at least five years, giving you enough time to build equity.

How long do I need to own a home before selling to avoid capital gains?

Our first significant loss occurred in the heart of the Great Recession.  After only 11 months of living in our dream house, we had to make another move. Thanks to a hideous job market, plummeting home prices, and the large sum of money I put into making the house mine, we lost every penny we put into that property. Since the new buyers paid less than we owed, we had to write a fat check to get out of the house.

The next loss occurred in another state, but like the house before, we’d only been there for 11 months. The rule is this: To avoid capital gains, a homeowner must have owned (and used) the property as their primary residence for at least 2 out of the last 5 years. Fortunately, between how much we put into upgrades and the fact that we used the proceeds to purchase another property within a few months (a home we stayed in for years), we managed to avoid capital gains.

Is buying a home usually a good investment?

As the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) points out, there are emotional benefits to owning a home. However, if the decision is purely financial, we’d probably be better off renting. The organization’s stance is based on all the expenses homebuyers forget to factor in. For example:

• Transaction costs: There’s nothing cheap about buying or selling a house. In addition to Realtor commissions, transfer fees, taxes, and closing costs are included. It can take years to gain enough equity in the home to make up for all you spend.
• Improvements: Improvements are costly, and unless you remain in one spot for years, you’ll probably not recoup these costs. Besides, you can’t expect anyone who buys a home from you to share your tastes and be willing to pay a premium for your upgrades.
• Property taxes and maintenance: The argument for buying often involves someone saying that property taxes and maintenance expenses are “baked into” rental prices. While that may be true, most people purchase larger homes than they would have rented. That means that everything costs more, from taxes to utilities.

There may not be many who understand the desire to own property more than me. However, you can save yourself a lot of heartache by learning from my mistakes. Before you make the leap, ask yourself the following:

• How much can I afford?
• Am I likely to find a good deal or is now a bad time to buy a home?
• How secure is my job (and what’s the outlook for my industry)?
• Will I stay in one place for at least five years?
• Do I have an emergency fund that can cover unexpected maintenance and repair issues?
• Have I taken the time to find a home and location that will work for my household?

When it comes to homeownership, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best you can do is be realistic about your life and how being a homeowner might fit into the big picture.

Why it matters

By most measures, home ownership is an important component of wealth-building. Building personal wealth does not depend entirely on owning property, but under the right circumstances, being a homeowner can enhance one’s net worth.