The house declines and you ultimately lose money if you have to sell. Spend some as you go to maintain it, or lose it at closing. We know of a case where someone we know will probably make almost nothing even though the mortgage was paid off. Years of neglect and here they are. That said, you can learn home maintenance.
Libraries have books and magazines, home centers have free classes.
When in doubt, go to the stores and ask questions. Even small hardware stores have someone who will help you select your purchases if you ask. Brent A Learning Experience Think twice about abandoning the homestead. Reader's Digest, Time-Life Books, and a host of others have detailed instructions on how to fix most anything for pennies on the dollar. You can also attend free repair seminars at places like Home Depot and Lowes.