10-Year Home Ownership Plan: Be a Confident Homeowner
Homeownership · From Moving Fort Wayne
10-Year Home Ownership Plan: Be a Confident Homeowner
When was the last time a salesperson tried to talk you out of moving? Brad Noll asks that question on this episode of Moving Fort Wayne. Brad leads The Noll Team, a top 1% real estate team in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His point is simple: people are staying in their homes longer than ever, but most still manage those homes one year at a time.
It looks like a landscaping project one spring and a small update the next. Most homeowners carry 30-year mortgages and stay well past a decade, yet very few ever sit down and write a real 10-year home ownership plan.
This post walks through Brad's plan, which covers four areas: the house, the money, the design and your life. It's for Fort Wayne homeowners who plan to stay put, and for anyone deciding whether to renovate, stay or move.
Key Takeaways
- The typical U.S. homeowner has now been in their home for 12 years, almost double the six and a half years seen in 2005.
- Maintenance protects your asset, and improvements change it. Rule out roof drainage, foundation and HVAC issues before you spend $50,000 on a kitchen.
- A planned $15,000 expense is far easier to handle than a $15,000 emergency.
- Sort projects into three groups: must do, should do and want to do.
- Renovate for the price range your home competes in today, not for what you paid.
- Get a home inspection every three to five years to keep your plan accurate.
“A planned $15,000 expense is much better than a $15,000 emergency.”
Brad Noll
Why Homeowners Are Staying in Their Homes Longer
Brad notes that as of this 2026 recording, the typical U.S. homeowner has been in their home for 12 years. In 2005, the figure was six and a half years. When Brad started in real estate, people would buy, stay six or seven years and then move because they could.
The trend isn't slowing. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that recent buyers expect to stay a median of 15 years. Brad's own family has been in their home for 18 years.
That raises a question few homeowners ask. If your neighbors are staying longer and improving their homes while you aren't, how will your home compare when you sell? "How are you protecting your asset?" Brad asks. Your home is probably one of the biggest assets you own. If you don't plan for it, you can lose value without noticing.
Home Maintenance vs. Improvement: Planning for What Wears Out
Brad's first area is the house itself. If you stay 10, 12 or 15 years, some things will almost certainly wear out while you own the home.
The Major Systems to Track
Brad's list includes the roof, furnace and air conditioner, water heater, windows, appliances, siding and exterior, plumbing, electrical, driveway, and deck or patio. Flooring is on it too, and it wears out faster in busy homes with kids, pets or frequent guests.
The key is knowing maintenance from improvement. "Maintenance, in my opinion, protects your asset, improvements change the asset," Brad says. New flooring keeps your home competitive. A finished basement, an addition or a remodeled kitchen can put your home in a higher price category.
Order matters. Before you spend $50,000 on a kitchen, Brad recommends making sure there are no roof drainage, foundation or HVAC problems. He's also clear that your home isn't only an investment: "Don't just make it nice for somebody else."
The Sump Pump Nobody Talks About
If you have a basement, Brad points to one part people often forget. The label on a sump pump may suggest about 12 years of life, but plumbers and contractors have told him to replace it every five to seven years. He explains that many Indiana basements flood because the pump fails, not because water seeps in through the ground. Replacing it costs a couple hundred dollars.
How to Budget a 10-Year Home Ownership Plan
"A planned $15,000 expense is much better than a $15,000 emergency," Brad says. That's why The Noll Team encourages buyers to choose a payment that leaves some spare money each month. If you stretch too far, there's nothing left to save for the furnace, water heater or roof.
The stakes add up across the country. Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies projects that annual U.S. spending on home improvements and repairs will reach around $523 billion by early 2027.
Sequencing Major Home Projects
Brad gives a sample decade of spending: $50,000 for a kitchen, $20,000 for outdoor living, $30,000 for a primary bathroom, $18,000 for heating and air, and $25,000 for a roof. That totals about $143,000 in one home.
Not every homeowner will spend that much. A newer roof or a bathroom you already love changes the math. Brad says the real question is whether you knew where you were headed before you spent the money. He also notes that rising home values over time can help cover repair costs.
Must Do, Should Do, Want to Do
Brad suggests sorting every project into one of three groups:
- Must do: protects your property
- Should do: improves how the home works or what it's worth
- Want to do: makes the home more enjoyable
A plan won't predict everything, but it shows you what's coming. Brad's best tool for that is a professional home inspection every three to five years, which he also does on his own rental properties. An inspection might show the roof is fine but the furnace and AC are short cycling, and you can adjust your plan.
Home Renovation Decisions That Hold Their Value
"The roof might have a physical life, but your kitchen also has a design life," Brad says. Cabinet colors and countertops go out of date on a different schedule than shingles wear out.
Brad also urges homeowners to renovate for today's price range. Say you bought a home for $350,000 fifteen years ago. There's a good chance it's worth $500,000 to $600,000 today. Buyers in that range expect more, so your finishes need to match the homes you compete with now. In Brad's words, "when you go to sell your home, it's a price war and it's a beauty contest."
Three Levels of Design
- Trend-driven choices: specific colors, fixtures, hardware and tile patterns, often driven by social media. Brass fell out of favor, and now gold is coming back.
- Broader design movements: cabinet styles, layouts, flooring preferences and overall look. These change more slowly.
- Timeless choices: quality materials, proportion, craftsmanship, lighting, storage and layouts that work well.
Brad's own kitchen is an example. When his family moved in in 2007, the kitchen had a built-in desk from the days when the family computer lived there. During their renovation, they turned it into pantry storage with about four times the space they had before.
Three ROI Questions Before Any Renovation
- Financial: Does it protect or improve how well the home will sell?
- Lifestyle: Will my family enjoy and use this for years?
- Longevity: Am I likely to still be happy with this decision in seven to 10 years?
Your timeline changes the balance. If you're moving in two years, resale matters more. If you're staying 12, you have 12 years to enjoy it.
Should You Stay, Renovate, or Move?
For Brad, your life is the emotional heart of the plan. Your house is aging, and so are you. Kids become teenagers and then leave home, parents get older, and someone starts working from home. Stairs get harder, and a first-floor primary suite starts to look good.
Brad's guiding question is "Will this house still serve the life you're building?" If you're 45, think about what will work for you at 65. "Make decisions in decades," he says.
Brad's family faced this choice last year. They toured a few homes, then decided to stay, renovate and fall in love with their home again.
If you're leaning toward a move, his advice goes the other way. Many sellers who have been in their home 20 years and built up a lot of equity assume they need big updates before listing. Brad's answer: "No, you don't. Just put a good price on it and take that money you've saved and put it into the new one."
Five Questions to Ask Your Family
Brad challenges listeners to sit down with a spouse, family members or a financial advisor and ask:
- How old are the major home systems in our house?
- What will probably need repair or replacement within the next 10 years?
- What improvements would meaningfully change how we live?
- How will our family and lifestyle change during the next 10 years?
- Does this house still make sense for the direction we're headed?
You should also know what your home is worth, how much equity you have and what another decade in the house would cost. The Noll Team provides market analyses for clients, and anyone else can request one through the team's website.
Frequently Asked Questions About a 10-Year Home Ownership Plan
How long do people stay in their homes now?
The typical U.S. homeowner has been in their home for 12 years, up from six and a half years in 2005. Brad also cites NAR data showing that recent buyers expect to stay a median of 15 years.
How often should I replace my sump pump?
Manufacturer labels may suggest about 12 years, but plumbers and contractors have told Brad to replace sump pumps every five to seven years. The pumps work hard, and a failed pump is a common cause of basement flooding in Indiana.
Should I renovate before selling my house?
Often, no. If you're moving within a year or two, Brad suggests saving that money for your next home and pricing your current one to match its condition. Sellers with a lot of equity rarely need major updates before listing.
How often should I get my home inspected?
Brad recommends a home inspection every three to five years. Regular inspections show what needs attention, so you can update your 10-year plan before small problems turn into emergencies.
▶ Listen to the full episode
Preparing your Home for the Next Decade with Brad Noll, on Moving Fort Wayne.
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