When it comes to buying your own home, there are things that one may not expect following that purchase being made. Some expect just a mortgage to be the issue to tackle, but there could be more than that to handle!
Thus, this post here aims to make sure you at least know something before going forward with that dream house you’ve been craving for.
Property Upkeep
One of the major things that tend to blindside people is how much expenses go into keeping your property on the up and up. Outdoors-wise, attention needs to be given to make sure your lawn is at the appropriate length, healthy, and not in danger of becoming overgrown.
Make sure any trees or bushes are well cared for to avoid any potential incidents, For example, growing over to a neighbour’s yard or possibly entangling in a power line. If one has a pool on their property, ensuring that the pool is kept free of trash and algae, is a must that people must adhere to.
House Maintenance
Beyond greenery, there’s also the issue of upkeep in terms of your house upkeep.
It’s not about just sweeping and mopping, one may find that you have to replace sections of your home throughout the stay in your new house.
A window was broken by vandalism or by accident? Dents in the wall that needs to be straightened out? Appliances that you thought would last for a while, but they end up breaking down sooner than you imagined (think the A/C breaking down one day)? Issues like these can happen anytime at your house and will take some funds to get sorted out.
Having savings aside, as well as just keeping an eye out in general for these issues is key to ensuring that one can have a stable time.
Pests
Pests might be cute in certain cartoons, but they are a menace to any homeowner who knows their salt:
- Rats/mice – A lot of houses are targets for these rodents who aren’t too keen on just rummaging around the garage bins. From leaving rat droppings around your home to just causing an intense smell if they happen to die in your walls and cupboards, the expense shouldn’t be spared when it comes to getting rid of one of these guys.
- Roaches – The bane of any household has to be these guys. Flying or just the regular wingless insects, roaches walking, durable contaminants that can breed like crazy and infest your home. Fees would likely need to be used for short-term items needed, like bug spray, to long-term ones, such as outright fumigation.
- Ants – Do not underestimate ants. Yes, one ant or a few isn’t very much a problem. What is the problem? A multitude of ants that make nests in your walls, in your crevices and just in general make your life far more difficult than it needs to be. Like roaches, you might need to pay a pretty penny to greatly reduce their numbers.
- Spiders – Unless it’s Halloween, nobody likes cobwebs in their homes. If left unchecked, however, such a fate becomes reality as spiders can make the corners of your dear home a web of their design.
These are just a few of the pests that, while common, still tend to blindside homeowners as they adjust to owning their new homes.
Utilities
Now, this especially goes for people who are new to owning a house for the first time and might be blindsided by how much utilities they need to end up paying for, especially if they were used to a life being covered by their parents or landlord in their prior apartment.
These utilities include:
- Electricity – While people may expect it, some might be prepared for just how much their electricity usage could add up by the end of the month.
- Water – Is water not coming out of the shower? Or backed up somewhere? Or, perhaps, you’re just struggling to pay off your water bill? Yeah, that takes a toll if one isn’t prepared to pay to keep it and pay to ensure it stays off when you want to.
- Internet – For many the internet is not just a source of information, it’s their source of socialization, job and entertainment. So it’s best to keep in mind just how pricey such a service can get.
These are just a few unexpected expenses that may arise when one has acquired a new home. Like with most things, such endeavours can be beaten by:
- Keeping a close eye on what goes on throughout your house.
- Having some savings set aside in case of major property damage.
- Just having good budgeting sense ensures that one can take on these issues effectively!
Just a few tips on how to be a smart homeowner!