It was just another weekday on Reddit when a user named anymajordude23 weighed in to distribute their encounter.

“Made an propose on our aspiration home, at list worth, on the day offers were due,” they wrote. “It was listed close to our max monetary schedule. At the complete of the day, we learned that we were the only ones who submitted an propose! Neat! Sellers then reveal they were looking to get closer to 100k over list, but they loved our note and desire to view us shift into the house.”

The user and their associate offered $20,000 more, they wrote. But the sellers rejected the propose.

“I’m mostly just super bummed to realize that list worth is irrelevant when it really comes down to it,” they concluded.

The lament drew nearly 200 “upvotes,” which is Reddit’s version of “likes,” but more importantly, nearly 300 helpful comments that were mostly shows of back for anymajordude23’s selection to walk away. At least one included data from the National Association of Realtors to amplify their point.

Buy that aspiration house: view the best mortgage lenders

Welcome to r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer, a little corner of the internet offering throng, education, and a place to vent – nicely – for people still trying to make a stab at the American aspiration in one of the toughest housing markets in recent history.

In a instant when seemingly everything online is becoming antagonistic, or “en—-ified,” the “FirstTimeHomeBuyer“ subreddit, a forum of people discussing first-period homeownership, defies the odds. Users appear to be considerate, well-read actual humans: no AI hallucinations or disinformation bots here. They are also supportive. And despite everything stacked against the first-period homebuyer in America today, a solid number of posts on the site distribute victories.

Thunder_taco shared a photo of the outside of their house, but many of the “Got the Keys” posts celebrate one of the timeworn rituals of closing day: eating pizza (sometimes other takeout) on the floor, or on folding chairs, sometimes surrounded by boxes, on the first day in a recent home.

“Got the Keys! thank you to this sub for getting me through it,” wrote one user. “3 days late but here’s the obligatory pizza and keys. Thank you to this sub for helping me navigate the chaos that is closing on your first home.”

The sight of that user’s pizza inspired a lively talk. It looked like a pie from recent York or recent Jersey, one response noted. “i miss NY pizza.”

“Truly,” said another. “I’m staring at his pizza in jealousy.”

Lessons in homeownership

Still, most of the forum’s talk revolves around homeownership – in all its complexities. “Can someone explain like I’m 5?” implored one user, showing a photo of their account statement. “Two more months and it’ll be a year living in my first home. Got this loan for $154,300. I paid almost $8,000 in profit YTD and only $1,200 YTD towards the capital.”

“You’ll desire to discover about debt payback schedules,” said one respondent, who proceeded to explain the procedure, which refers to paying off a obligation over a long period of period, with an increasingly larger amount going to capital over the life of the loan. Several other users chimed in, noting how helpful it can be to pay extra toward capital early on.

And yes, there are times when ownership just isn’t in the cards, like when one would-be buyer discovered live termites during a home inspection.

“We are going to pass on this house,” the original poster wrote, the following day. “Truly appreciate everybody’s advice and thoughts on the issue.”

But mostly, what gets posted are the house hunts that work out. “You recognize you’re finally a homeowner when…” began one post. “For me, it was when I had a nightmare that someone filed an insurance claim for a leaky toilet and the insurance corporation said they were going to drop me. What was the instant that made homeownership commence to feel real for you?”

Users chimed in with horror stories ranging from plumbing to pests to a pink shag rug – yet no one seemed to be complaining.