ON top of purchasing a home for whatever it is worth, you most likely will have to drop some additional cash to cover any repairs and remodels.
But if you can cut back on these costs, why not take the chance?
An interior architect has revealed how to cut back on costs when purchasing a home and it has everything to do with the steps you take before purchasing it.
Talking exclusively to The Us Sun, interior architect and HGTV star Brea Elles said: “The first thing you want to do when buying a home is purchase one that fits your lifestyle.
“If you’re an urban person, live close to the city and if you love cooking, make sure to get a home with a good-sized kitchen.”
But no matter what type of home you choose to buy, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not having their own inspection done, according to Elles.
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“When you go buy a house, the realtor has an inspection done but it’s always good to have a second one because sometimes, the initial inspector will breeze through the process.
“I always tell clients that it’s worth paying for a second one to do a thorough inspection for you.”
This means that the second inspector could catch things the first one didn’t and therefore, you won’t be ambushed by any surprise repairs.
When buying a home, it’s fairly common that the original owner will tell you they had to repair termite damage.
“Request for them to open up the wall where the termites were abated because most likely, there is termite damage and you want to assess how much it was,” Elles suggested.
“I’m currently doing a job for a client and this is the second time it happens, she had over $12,000 worth of termite damage.
“She wasn’t expecting it because when she bought the house, they told her it was abated but she didn’t think to check the actual damage.
“It’s hard because it’s behind walls so you don’t really see it.”
Another thing you want to make sure is in top shape before you purchase a home is the AC and venting systems.
“Sometimes, a lot of houses will have issues with heating or cooling and it’s because it wasn’t properly done and you end up getting a house that’s underventilated, so you’re hot, and then you’re burning electricity,” Elles explained.
“Ventilation in a home is super important. So you want to make sure to have a quality AC unit and ventilation system because it’s important for your health.”
If you don’t do this from the beginning, you will have to drop several thousand to fix it later.
When moving into a new home, people don’t often think about how much it can actually cost them to furnish it.
You’ll go in, thinking you’ll get brand new everything, but that can rack up quite the bill.
“That is one thing first-time homeowners will do and it’s like ‘Do you realize how much it costs to furnish just one room?’ And they are blindsided by it,” she explained.
There’s nothing wrong with bringing your old furniture into your old place until you’re able to afford the items you actually want.
So no matter when you buy your first home and where it’s located, follow these tips to make sure you cut back on as many costs as possible.
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