17 Homeowners Reveal The "Smart" Home Purchases They Have Zero Regrets Making (2024)

As a homeowner, sometimes you have to make big or pricier purchases, and sometimes, they end up being 100% worth the money. Recently, I asked homeowners of the BuzzFeed Community to share the home splurges they made that they don't regret, and they're prettyyyy awesome. Here are some of the bigger purchases homeowners think are worth it:

1. "We live in California and have droughts often, so we try to save water when possible. We installed a hot water recycling pump, and not only are we saving water by not having to wait for the water to heat up, but getting instant hot water is great. The $200 investment was well worth it."

u/windowellington / Via reddit.com

—modernbunny49

2. "A warming drawer in the kitchen. It keeps food warm or hot while preparing other dishes, and warming up cold plates in the winter is easy. I love it; I've had it in my last three houses."

—Anonymous

3. "Getting an epoxy garage floor coating. With Wisconsin winters, our garage floor was deteriorating. We contracted a floor sealing company, and it stopped the deterioration. Now, I can pressure-wash the floor every spring, and it looks like new every time. Oil spills, road salt, snow, and anything spilled on the garage floor clean up quickly and easily, too!"

4. "A 15-foot-long wall between our house and the neighbors. The bottom half of the wall is made up of a cylinder block, and the top is wrought iron. It cost several thousand. It keeps their two pit bulls safely away from us so that we can just enjoy the backyard. So worth it."

—Joe, 48, California

5. "A combo mini oven. I got one when I moved because the existing kitchen didn't have an oven. If I'd gotten one, I'd have to take out the counter to install a proper oven, and, honestly? The mini-oven is better than any full-sized oven. It takes up half the space but still has room to fit an entire roast chicken or whatever in it. It's also a toaster and air fryer, so I don't need to use counter space for those. I just wish it also had a microwave."

6. "We waterproofed the basem*nt of my century-old home. Not having to mop up after every bit of rain or run fans and humidifiers 24/7. It's so worth it!"

—grant101010

7. "Replacing our aging HVAC system with a modern, all-electric heat pump, adding insulation in west-facing walls and attic crawlspace, and adding a thermostatically-controlled gabled fan in the attic all up to greater efficiency and reliability! Why worry? If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Nonsense! If you can afford it, do it! I contend it's foolish not to do these things!"

8. "A two-bay detached garage with enough depth for a workshop, cars, and power equipment."

—Steven, 60, New York

9. "A natural gas, whole-house emergency generator. We live in Florida, about 10 miles from the coast. One year, we had three hurricanes in a row and lost power each time. We had a gasoline-powered portable generator, and we had to stock up with lots of gallon gas cans and go out in pouring rain to refuel. We could only run a few things at a time, and sometimes, it took many days to restore power. So, we got the natural gas generator and didn't have another hurricane for three or four years. But when we do lose power, it kicks on immediately and powers the entire house."

10. "A Kitchen Aid washing machine has given me 30 years and more of perfect washing."

—emowizard26

11. "An electric fireplace. When we moved in, our home didn't have a fireplace, and I wanted one. We looked into the costs of adding a gas or log-burning fireplace, and it just wasn't worth it. We reluctantly bought an electric one from a big box store, and looking back, it was one of the smartest things we'd ever bought for our home. It centered our family room and gave it some craftsman charm. The heat output is nice, and while the flame effect isn't the most realistic, when I light hickory incense and ask our Google Home to play fire sounds, it's pretty close to feeling like the real thing. I remember our first Christmas with the electric fireplace, with our stockings hung on the mantle, the hickory incense, fire sounds playing in the background, and feeling a sense of Christmas coziness I'd never felt in our home before. It was wonderful. Now, I recommend an electric fireplace for anyone who wants a fireplace."

12. "We've had a Dyson stick vacuum for about six years. We use it almost daily, and we've had to change the battery once. The vacuum covers our entire house (1150 square feet) on a low setting with one charge."

—aero2054

13. "During the pandemic, everything was shut down, and we all had a lot of time on our hands. We used the downtime to build an outdoor kitchen and cedar pergola near our pool. By building it ourselves, we saved a lot of money. Now, we BBQ at least twice a week and have a shady spot to sit out and enjoy the weather and pool during the hot summers."

14. "Our new back deck. It is a composite, so there's never scraping, sanding, or painting! We had a wood deck for 30 years prior, and they were such a pain. We moved to Kentucky six years ago and splurged on our deck. The layout was slightly reconfigured, so the steps going down were in the middle. It had a picture frame design, with darker pieces on the outside and lighter ones on the inside. We put lights on all the caps and the wide steps. It's so nice; we love it!"

—Anonymous

15. "We upgraded to hurricane shutters that stay on the house year-round. I can open, close, and lock them from inside the house. No more climbing on the roof and carrying metal sheets around to hang up! I can board up the entire two-story house by myself in less than an hour."

16. "It's not an expensive splurge, but it works like one. We got a water heater pump instead of the tankless water heaters because we wanted instant hot water. Instead of waiting several minutes for hot water to come through, it only takes seconds since the hot water is already circulating in the pipes. We also added it to a smart outlet so that we can put it on a schedule or turn it on with our phones."

—Anonymous

17. Last but not least: "When building my house, I had 11 solar tubes installed. They are fantastic at keeping every room light and bright and save a great deal on electricity. They cost about $12k, but they were worth every penny."

—Herb, 76, Texas

I don't know about you guys, but I've been influenced to get an electric fireplace for my future home! If you're a homeowner, what's a home splurge that you absolutely don't regret purchasing? Let me know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit using this form!

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.