'Got the Keys:' Meet the friendly online community helping first-time homebuyers

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

“Made an offer on our dream home, at list price, on the day offers were due,” the user wrote. “It was listed close to our max budget. At the end of the day, we learned that we were the only ones who submitted an offer! Neat! Sellers then reveal they were looking to get closer to 100k over list, but they loved our letter and want to see us move into the house.”

The user and the user's partner offered $20,000 more, they wrote. But the sellers rejected the offer.

“I'm mostly just super bummed to realize that list price 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 support for anymajordude23’s decision to walk away. At least one included data from the National Association of Realtors to amplify their point.

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

In a moment when seemingly everything online is becoming antagonistic, the "FirstTimeHomeBuyer“ subreddit, a forum of people discussing first-time homeownership, defies the odds. Users appear to be thoughtful, well-read actual humans: no artificial intelligence hallucinations or disinformation bots here. They are also supportive. And despite everything stacked against the first-time homebuyer in America today, a solid number of posts on the site share 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 another takeout) on the floor, or folding chairs, sometimes surrounded by boxes, on the first day in a new 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 discussion. It looked like a pie from New York or New 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 discussion 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 interest YTD and only $1,200 YTD towards the principal.”

“You'll want to learn about amortization schedules,” said one respondent, who proceeded to explain the process, which refers to paying off a debt over a long period of time, with an increasingly larger amount going to principal over the life of the loan. Several other users chimed in, noting how helpful it can be to pay extra toward the principal 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 know 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 company said they were going to drop me. What was the moment that made homeownership start 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.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This friendly online community helps people with buying a house