first time home owner error...

Kynthia

I think it can be a big let down when moving in to see the property bare and empty with all it's flaws more obvious. It's like anything new, a job or relocation, it can take time to adjust. In a couple of months you could feel completly different.

fimonkey

COLOURBOUNCE wrote: »

A good, slighty whacky mate of mine had this issue with his first flat. He filled the lounge/diner with everything he could think of, bikes, bins, extra coffee table, even stone oranaments from the communial garden ! After a month he cleared it out and said it felt like he was living in a palace. Worth a go just for a laugh if nothing else.

Lol, Ive just exchanged and decided any second thoughts (I have them for sure) are not worth it - too far down to track to do anything about it other than live there and see if the second thoughts are serious or not.

That said - I AM looking forward to being completely wacky with it for the first year. I have no sense of style anyhow and no money to spend on things I don't see as necessary - so if its functional but ugly it has a safe place in my flat. No matching dinner sets, but 5p unmatching plates from the car booty. ;-)

I intend to cover the kitchen cupboards with fablon galore- the more outragous the better - even hologrammatic! There will be no chairs in my lounge (an upstairs flat, I'm not going to carry them up there and can't afford new with delivery charge) - instead just big cushions and beenbags, and it'll be painted with whatever colour comes up on freecycle next etc etc.

For a FTB like me that's one of the big attractions of owning your own place.

robatwork

Paint it.

Paint it all white, and choose a feature wall in each room and go mad with a colour. Or something to suit you.

Once you start decorating it will feel like your project... then your home...

shar46y

I remember when we bought our first flat, how excited we were as we turned the key in the lock and pushed open the front door.

We had last viewed it in the early summer when it was lived in (and obviously, dressed for sale), bright and sunny. When we finally completed, it was a gloomy autumn evening.

The flat looked nothing like we remembered it. It was empty, dark and dingy, rather dirty, the carpets looked threadbare, there were dust marks on the walls and it smelled of cigarette smoke.

All I could think was "What have we done??" and felt like crying.

In the end we lived there for several years, decorated, renovated and put our mark on it and were very happy there. So good luck, OP - I wish the same for you and your OH.

Doshwaster

dboyce15 wrote: »

thanks, I think we will be there a minimum of two years whilst we save a deposit for something a bit bigger.

Most new graduates have to live in small cramped homes as they cannot afford anything bigger. At least you were in the fortunate position of being able to afford to buy rather than rent. As others have said, grin and bear it for a few years, you may come to love it but if you don't then at least it's yours and you have the possibility of adding value to it.

phoebe1989seb

Our DS and his GF have also recently graduated from uni and bought their first flat. Theirs was an ex-rental, was very blandly decorated and hadn't had much love or money lavished on it for some time by the look of it. Whilst it did have some nice original features, it was rather soul-less and unhomely. I think that whilst they were initally excited to have taken the plunge into property-ownership, once they had the keys their first thought was 'what have we done?'

Not only that, but we thought we had put him off renovating for life as DH and I are serial buyers of neglected wrecks and DS spent his childhood living on building sites, but to our surprise he and his GF have launched into the whole decorating thing with a vengeance and the place now totally reflects their style.........not only would you not know the place from how it was a few months ago, but they've even started a blog about their experiences

So I would say give it a chance, take some time putting your stamp on the place and who knows you may find you love it after all!

AlexMac

The boring options have all been covered above, and unsurprisingly they're the same three as when you're in a job y0u dislike (change your attitude; ie live with it, change your environment; ie manipulate the job or workplace, or get out; find a new job) - in the case of a home;
-stick
-sell, or
-rent and move on (easier and more tax-efficient than you'd think)

But is the home really the issue? Or is it that you suddenly feel tied down into the relationship with your partner and the property's just the metaphor.
i don't know if you speak spanish? In the south, they pronounce "v" as "b" so you say bino, for vino(wine); therbayca for cerveza (beer). So as I'm English with a hint of Spanish, I read your tag 'dboyce..' as deevorce...
Wishful thinking or just Freudian? Good luck with your options. Most things get better

COLOURBOUNCE

Last few days, there has been some proper weirdos on here!!