We were excited. I have loved old houses since I was 9. The house had problems hidden within the walls that took a lot of the initial excitement and money from us we never anticipated. It appeared to be better maintained, but even with a house inspection, there were hidden gems of horror we were yet to find.
Overall to do it all over again we would still be here and going along at the same pace. After the first year we really didn't get any new surprises to add to the repair list. We are still faced with 3 things left to do, all to do with the structural components. It is stable, but we need to think of the long term.
The house has been prettied up from the time we bought it. We still have 4-6 years to go before we might be on a maintenance routine. It also fits in with my living history lifestyle. I am growing food in high raised beds and managing to eat better for 5-8 months a year.
Your house has definitely benefited from your ownership. Ours, too, looked good on the surface. It was only when we looked a little closer at some of the plumbing and electrical issues that we realized "all that glimmers is not gold". I also didn't realize you were an oldhouseluvr from childhood. I fell in love with my first old house when I was 10. Little did I know then, or even when I bought this house, that history would become such an important part of my life. And thanks again to you for helping me look the part!