Would You Buy Your Own House Today?
It's a strange question. But answer it.
If your house were listed for sale today - and you didn't already own it - would you buy it?
Same house. Same neighborhood. Same yard. Same commute. Same kitchen. Same annoying cabinet. Same neighbor whose dog has very strong opinions. But you're seeing it today with fresh eyes.
Would you choose it again?
Most homeowners spend plenty of time wondering what their house is worth. We spend much less time asking whether it's still the right house. So I'm proposing a different kind of annual homeowner review. No sales pitch. No assumption that you're moving.
Just ten questions worth asking once a year.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Does the Location Still Work?
Think about where your life actually happens now. Work. School. Family. Friends. Activities. Doctors. Restaurants. Airport. Hobbies.
Did you buy the house when you commuted five days a week but now work from home? Did you choose the neighborhood before having children? Are the kids gone now? Has an aging parent changed where you want to be?
Location isn't only about resale.
It's about the hours of your life you spend getting from one place to another.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Does the Floor Plan Fit Your Life?
Walk through your house and ask: Which rooms do we actually use? Which rooms do we avoid? Where does clutter consistently accumulate?
Where do people naturally gather? What's missing?
A house can have plenty of square footage and still function poorly. Sometimes the solution is moving. Sometimes it's remodeling. Sometimes it's simply using the rooms differently.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What Would You Change Immediately If You Were Buying It Today?
Pretend you're touring your own home. What's the first thing you'd mentally renovate? Kitchen? Flooring? Paint? Lighting? Backyard? Primary bathroom? Landscaping?
Now ask a second question:
Why haven't I done it?
Maybe the project isn't worth the money. But maybe you've spent seven years living with something you dislike because you assumed you'd “get to it eventually.”
Eventually is allowed to be this year.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What Maintenance Are You Quietly Ignoring?
Every homeowner has something. That weird noise. The roof tile. The slow drain. The cracked caulk. The AC that's technically working but behaving suspiciously. The irrigation leak. The exterior paint. The appliance held together primarily by optimism.
Make the list.
Your future self would probably prefer that you deal with it before a buyer's home inspector eventually does.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Do You Know What Your Home Is Actually Worth?
Not what Zillow says. Not what the neighbor listed theirs for. Not what you hope it's worth.
And not what you paid plus the amount you spent remodeling.
Market value is based on what buyers are willing to pay in today's market.
Even if you have absolutely no intention of selling, understanding your approximate equity position can help with broader financial planning.
Your house may be one of your largest financial assets.
You should know approximately what it's worth.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What Would It Cost to Buy Your Own House Today?
This one is fascinating. Look at today's approximate value. Today's mortgage rates. Today's taxes and insurance.
Then compare that hypothetical payment with what you're actually paying.
If you purchased or refinanced when rates were extremely low, the difference may be substantial. That gives you important context.
Your current mortgage may itself be an extremely valuable component of your financial position.
It also explains why so many homeowners feel “locked in.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Could This House Work as an Investment?
Don't assume yes. Run the numbers. What could it realistically rent for?
Subtract:
-Mortgage.
-Taxes.
-Insurance.
-HOA.
-Management.
-Vacancy.
-Maintenance.
-Capital expenditures.
-Landscaping.
-Pool service.
Then evaluate the return on the equity tied up in the property. Some homes make fantastic rentals. Others make fantastic homes but mediocre investments. Those aren't the same thing.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. If You Sold Tomorrow, Where Would You Go?
This is the question people often skip.
It's easy to say:
“We could probably sell for $___.”
Okay. Then what? Would you downsize? Move closer to family? Buy something larger? Leave Arizona? Build? Rent? Buy a second home? Move into an active-adult community? Keep the property and travel? A high home value is only one side of the equation. You also have to understand the replacement cost of your next chapter.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Are You Staying Because You Love It - or Because Moving Sounds Awful?
This may be the most revealing question on the list. Moving is inconvenient. Selling requires preparation. Buying requires decisions.
There are inspections, financing, packing, contractors, movers and approximately 400 cardboard boxes.
So it's easy to confuse:
“I don't want to move.”
with:
“This is definitely still the best home for me.”
Those aren't necessarily the same statement.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What Would Make You Love Your Home for Another Five Years?
Maybe the answer is:
-A remodeled kitchen.
-A pool.
-Better landscaping.
-A home office.
-A casita.
-An addition.
-New flooring.
-A better outdoor space.
-Or simply clearing out half the stuff you've accumulated.
Then ask:
Does investing in that improvement make more sense than moving?
Sometimes the best real-estate decision is buying another house. Sometimes it's selling. Sometimes it's converting a current property into an investment.
And sometimes the best answer is:
Stay exactly where you are and make it better.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your Annual Homeowner Scorecard
Once a year, rate these five areas from 1–5:
LOCATION
Does where I live still fit my life?
FUNCTION
Does the house work for how we actually live?
FINANCES
Does owning this property still make financial sense?
CONDITION
Am I maintaining the home properly?
HAPPINESS
Do I genuinely enjoy living here?
Don't add the numbers together.
This isn't a test.
You're looking for the category that makes you pause.
That's probably the one worth exploring.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
You Don't Have to Be Moving to Have a Real Estate Strategy
This is something I wish more homeowners understood.
Knowing what your home is worth doesn't mean you're listing it.
Talking through remodeling versus moving doesn't mean you're moving.
Evaluating your home as a potential rental doesn't mean you have to become a landlord.
Understanding your equity doesn't mean you're borrowing against it.
It's simply information.
And good information gives you options.
I've spent more than two decades helping Arizona homeowners make these decisions—and some of my favorite conversations end with:
“You know what? Staying put actually makes the most sense.”
That's a successful real-estate conversation too.
Your home should serve your life.
Every once in a while, it's worth checking to make sure it still does.
