What is your total household income? $35k/year

What was the purchase price of your home? $298,000 with a 4.85% interest rate. Was down to owing $258,000 then refinanced once in 2020 and once in 2021- I now owe $269,000 with a 2.75% interest rate because I rolled both sets of refinance fees into the loan.

When did you buy and what is the home worth now? Purchased in 2018 (when my household income was almost $100k); it’s worth $400,000 conservatively but possibly as much as $425,000. 1200 sq feet, 3 bed 2 bath single family home.

Do you feel you over or under spent on your home? I purchased the home with my ex-husband. I cashed out all of my retirement savings to do it ($60k) plus put down the equity from our first home (of which I also paid the down payment and most of the mortgage- $35k). It felt like a stretch at the time, but I’m glad we did it. I had no way of knowing he’d convince me to be a SAHM and abandon my career, then cheat and leave, and force me to trade the spousal support I was legally entitled to for the equity in the house….which all came from me (but legally he was entitled to half of it, fairness he damned.) Now I make basically no money, but I can just barely afford my refinanced payment ($1400/month) and keep a roof over our heads. An apartment would be just as much in our area, so I’m as careful as possible and trying hard to get a better job… I’m a cautionary tale.

Am I glad I own my home, though? YES. I may not have any retirement savings or hardly any income, but my house is continuing to build equity and should be paid off a few years before I retire. It’s my only asset, and life would be a lot scarier if I didn’t have it.