Is my Home a Lemon?

Question:  Since we bought our home, we've had an endless stream of maintenance problems. The house is only about five years old, but everything seems to be going wrong. For example, two of the faucets started leaking. Then one of the toilets became clogged. After that, the front door began rubbing against the jamb, making it hard to close.

This is the first home we've ever owned. We hired an inspector before buying it, but none of these problems was disclosed in the report. What can we do, now that we're stuck with this lemon?

Answer:  If the problems on your list were serious or unusual, 98 percent of the homes in America would be lemons. In fact, the symptoms you have noted would tend to make your home as normal as mine. If faucets, doors, dishwashers did not require periodic maintenance, that would be a noteworthy abnormality.

A common misconception among first-time homebuyers is the expectation that homeownership is a turnkey operation, that a well-built house in good condition will tend to remain that way without timely offerings of effort by the owners. Homeownership, in a sense, should be viewed as a part-time hobby, one that requires ongoing participation and weekly contributions of time, money and sweat.

As newly initiated homeowners, it may be time to buy yourselves a set of handyman tools and a book on routine property maintenance. Don't try to tackle any serious issues such as electrical problems or conditions involving gas-burning fixtures. Items of that nature should be delegated to licensed experts. However, simple repairs, such as changing the washer in a leaky faucet, are skills worth learning.

You have embarked upon the lifelong pastime of homeownership. Acquiring the basic skills of common home repairs will increase your pride of ownership, save you worthwhile sums of money, and keep you from over-responding to minor routine defects. It is an ongoing process of learning. Enjoy the journey.