15 “Questions I Have For The Man Who Built My House”

Joanna told Bored Panda that she started the 'Questions I have for the man who built my house' video series on a whim because her house is "truly one-of-a-kind and very, very quirky." While walking up the stairs, she realized just how hilarious it was that they had so many outlets. "I was curious to see if anyone else would find it comical and apparently many people do!" she shared.

"During the buying process of this home, I accidentally found the man who did in fact build it! Our town is a very remote, small community and I was searching online for a contractor to provide an estimate... and found him as the only one out here!" Joanna told us. "When I called, he recalled building the house in 1987, but said he's now retired. He wasn't especially friendly, so it was a quick call. Now, as we discover more and more 'features' of the house, we jokingly shout his name and ask WHYYY (for example the 17 outlets in our bedroom). I hope to meet him one day, but people really keep to themselves out here so I'm not holding my breath."

The digital influencer revealed to us that she's gotten two types of responses to her videos. Some people completely don't realize that the videos are satirical and think that she and her husband shouldn't have bought the home. Meanwhile, others are grateful that someone's posting realistic content about buying a real home. It acts as a nice contrast to the overly-polished, shiny pictures and videos found on social media. We think the truth is beautiful. With all of its imperfections.

"After owning a house that was 110+ years old prior to this one, we very much know that no home is perfect... nor is it ever fully finished/renovated. Especially in this housing market where it can feel like the only option is the rundown fixer-upper," she said.

Joanna stressed just how key inspections are during the buying process. They're vital when it comes to knowing what you're getting into. "Our buying process was pretty standard since we aren't in an area that's overwhelmingly desirable like city real estate is. I know that this step of the home buying process is often skipped now and can be challenging in competitive housing markets though. We had our home inspected and even brought out a trusted contractor to confirm a few things and provide an estimate. Then we were able to negotiate the buying price based on that info," she shared.

"Because we're handy and confident DIY types, our main focus during buying is to make sure that the big-ticket items are good: the roof, the plumbing, the well and septic (in this case), etc. Pretty much everything I've mentioned in the video series is something we can fix ourselves. Or it's something that we are learning to live with, like the multitudes of outlets and switches and the varying floor levels. It comes down to a cost/benefit ratio... is it worth it to dig into the crawlspace/concrete slab to put the plumbing underground in order to remove the steps up to the bathrooms? For us, the answer is no," she explained where the line between something that's a real issue and a quirk lies for her.

Bored Panda was interested to get to know Joanna even better, so we asked her about her background, what keeps her passionate about she does, and what it feels like to have so many online fans.

"I've been working in the digital world since 2009 back when it was primarily just blogs... so I've been around! As more social platforms were created, my community grew and my content evolved as I purchased my first home, got married, and now as we have tackled cabin renovations. I'm lucky to be able to do what I do every day and am extremely grateful to everyone who's chosen to follow our journey and be part of it," she told us that her fans make her very happy.

Nature and being in the mountains are what fuel Joanna's creativity. It's also a major part of why she and her husband left city life to move to the middle of nowhere.

"I'm happiest without phone service and usually come up with my best ideas while swimming in alpine lakes, hiking, or rock climbing. Couple that with being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Birt-Hogg-Dubé and we knew we wanted to make a major life change. Thankfully, sharing this personal journey on my blog and social media channels have resonated with other people and inspired them while allowing me to continue creating content that I feel passionate about sharing!"