I Bought My First House at 19 (and Yep, People Thought I Was Nuts)

I was 19. I didn’t make much money. And yes, people definitely thought I was out of my mind for buying a house.

Were they wrong? Sort of.
Did I make some mistakes? For sure.
Do I regret it? Not even a little.

Let me tell you how it all went down, because while it wasn’t exactly a conventional path, it taught me everything I needed to know about real estate, homeownership, and myself.

Buying a house at 19 wasn’t my dream. It was my dad’s.

He’s always been the creative, figure-it-out kind of guy. Back in the late 1970s, he bought a house on Lake Tapps for something wild like $100,000. He purchased it on a contract with the owner, paying a set amount upfront and then the remaining balance within two years (or something like that). It was unconventional, but it worked. Real estate was his thing, and he believed in it as a sure investment.

So one day he said, “Let’s help you buy a house.”

They were about to start remodeling our family home, but my parents offered to help me with the down payment. To be clear, this was not a gift — I had to pay them back. But with that help, I got into the market, and it changed everything.

We were looking at houses in the $70,000 range — this was 1997 — and I remember thinking, these are awful. I’m never moving if this is what I have to live in.

Then a family we knew from church decided to sell their home. I had never actually been inside before, but when I walked in, I just knew. I felt it in my gut. Even now, I believe in that moment — you can walk into a house and know when it’s yours.

And just like that, I was under contract on my very first home.

I didn’t know what I was getting into.

I wasn’t making much money. Every dollar mattered. I had no idea how to budget for surprise repairs. I didn’t understand property taxes or what a furnace filter even was.

But I figured it out.

That house became my crash course in adulting — and I learned so much more than just how to own a home.

Like the time the heat stopped working. Nothing was coming through the vents.

A friend of ours in HVAC came over, looked around, and said, “Your crawl space is wide open.” Apparently, cats — and probably a few raccoons — had made themselves right at home. They crushed the ductwork and caused all kinds of chaos. It was expensive. It was gross. It was a huge lesson.

Then came the carport insulation issue. Rodents again. I had to interview clean-out companies and, yep — one definitely charged me the “young and has no idea what she’s doing” rate. But I got through it and learned what questions to ask the next time.

Not long after I moved in, the dishwasher broke. My dad helped me bring a new one into the house and unboxed it, then said, “Alright, I’m gonna take off.”

I blinked. “Wait… what do you mean you’re leaving?”

He said, “You’ll figure it out.”

This was 1997. No YouTube. No video tutorials. Just me, an instruction manual, and sheer willpower. I was so frustrated. But I did it. I installed it myself. He came back the next day to tighten one thing, but I did the rest — and I was incredibly proud.

Oh, the refinancing years.

I refinanced multiple times back when you could basically just show a bank statement. But I didn’t go wild with it. I used the money to buy a washer and dryer, a new stove, and to pay off credit cards. Nothing flashy — just things I needed.

One creative move I made was opting to pay property taxes and insurance outside of escrow to keep my monthly payment lower. That meant I had to pay those big bills twice a year, which could have been rough — but thankfully, those due dates always seemed to line up with Gift Time at Clinique. I worked there, so my commissions were higher during that season, and I was always grateful for that timing.

I’m especially grateful I had this time before I got married and had kids. It was a season of pure growth and independence, and I didn’t even realize how much I needed it.

I learned how to manage a home, how to navigate real life, and how to take care of myself in ways that shaped who I am today. It wasn’t always easy. It was often messy. But I grew so much in that little house.

Back then, people told me I was crazy. I heard things like, “I wouldn’t buy a house until I’m married,” or “You’re too young to take that on.” But by the time I did get married, I had already built home equity, had years of experience managing a home, and never once paid rent to a landlord.

I didn’t go into it fully prepared. But I showed up, learned along the way, and figured things out. And I’m really proud of the person I became during those years.

If you’re young and thinking about buying a house, or you’re a parent wondering if your kid is ready, here’s what I want you to know:

You won’t have it all figured out.
You’ll make mistakes.

But if you’re willing to grow through it, you’ll come out stronger, smarter, and more confident than you ever imagined.

That little house started my journey. And all these years later, we still own it. It’s been a long-term rental since I moved out (and being a landlord… that’s a whole blog post of its own).

It’s part of my story — and one I’ll always be grateful for.

Buying your first home is a big deal — no matter your age.
You don’t need perfect timing.
You just need to start asking questions.

If that’s the kind of guidance you’re looking for, I’m here.

⬇️ When you’re ready, I’d love to chat.

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