There's practically untouched hardwood floors throughout the house (everywhere but the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms).

I’ve just started a project to double size of guest room. I’m not actually doing anything except watching 😬

One of the first things I did when we bought this house was to check to see if there was hardwood under the ugly old carpeting. I was disappointed, but I finally do have my hardwood floors and couldn't be happier about it.

She uses her claws to pull herself down the hallway because, apparently she's too lazy to walk. Hilarious to watch.

I'm looking forward to exchanging the vacuum cleaner for a Swiffer. Carpets are dust and cat dander magnets.

I still use my vacuum. I bought an attachment for my Dyson and it's a big time saver. I did try the Swiffer, but it's not for me.

If you haven't dealt with finishing a hardwood floor yet, I'll warn you that the mess and fumes are a challenge. My son and his family moved in with me for nine months last year while they were building a house and they left a couple of scratches on my floor. My son offered to have them refinished, but I said no thanks. For one thing, he had no idea how much it was going to cost ($$$$$), and for another, I just want to enjoy my house. I can live with a scratch or two.

shoveling money in it. I hope you live in an area that
home prices aren't depressed. I bought my house for $60000 25 years ago and have probably sunk $40000 in plain maintenance. If I put it up for sale I don't think I would get more than the $60000 I paid but repcement value is $180000.
I wish I would have gone for the metal roof when I replaced mine 10 years ago.

I've had to buy a new furnace/ac, a new well pump, new windows and a new garden barn roof, since I moved in. Well, and a new riding lawn mower because it's a really, really huge lot. This was my uncle and aunt's house. After my uncle died my aunt went to live with my mother and housing values were busting. Since I was on the quit claim, anyway, I moved in and took over all of the taxes, maintenance and expenses. Once she died, I refiled the deed.

I found the old paperwork for the house. They paid about $38,000 for it in 1969. Right now it's estimated at about $162,000. I've got about a 7 to 10 year plan to fix it up and sell it so I can spend my twilight years in a much smaller, easier to maintain abode.

$60,000 plus $40,000 = $100,000. You've lived in it for 25 years, which is 300 months. That figures out to $333 per month rent. Well worth it, IMO. (Plus, at the end of the day, you have the house, even if it didn't appreciate.)

I had to refinance last year when I got a divorce, and it's very unlikely that I'll pay off the house before I move out or die, but I still just consider the mortgage payment to be rent. I love my neighborhood and my neighbors, and I love my house, even though there's lots to do. At this point, I know that I made the right decision to stay here.

but I would would have to come up with another $100,000 and probably pay a homeowners fee every month.
Where I live all I have is upkeep and taxes are only $700 a year.

My house is 2100 square foot and has those architectural shingles. The only type were allowed. 17,000 to do the roof. My roof needs replaced in 5 years. Some of my neighbors have done it already and are bigger homes so they are closer to 20 grand. I just hope I get a huge hail store about 5 years from now.

pay more for Work Mans comp for a worker than wages for roofers.

I'll never have to worry about it, again and it adds value to the house. Who knows. If the family plague of Alzheimer's skips me, and the family curse of longevity doesn't (lots of relatives survived into their late 80's, my maternal grandfather was still cognitively sharp as a tack when he died at age 97 and I have a paternal 2nd cousin, who is 104) I might be here longer than anticipated. I'm still pretty sharp, limber, feisty and lively for my age, so who knows.

When mine goes, that's what I want to look into. They should last pretty much forever.