When you own a house, expenses seem never to stop. According to Home Advisor, homeowners spend an average of $1,105 annually on maintenance, and more than 30% of them are forced to cover $1,206 in emergency repairs. Calculating how much you spend in a house is difficult, as different factors need to be considered, such as the home and location age.
Data from a report made by Zillow in 2017 showed that homeowners in Seattle could spend between $7,000 and $16,000 a year in hidden homeownership costs. There are, however, some preventive measures and actions you can take to avoid spending so much money in your home.
In this article, we’re going to share five tips on how to extend the life of your current house.
Don’t wait until leaks start to show off; you should be inspecting your roof at least once or twice a year. A good recommendation is to get it checked by a professional before the start of autumn or winter.
During winter, energy bills tend to rise with the use of the heating system. A way to make your home more energy efficient is by investing in thermal insulation materials for your home. Especially older houses in Seattle can benefit from adding more insulation.
Also, before purchasing any material, make sure your home is sealed correctly, this means you’ll have to check windows and doors. Some insulation materials are: fiberglass, natural fibers, mineral wool, insulation facings, cellulose, polystyrene, polyurethane, cementitious foam, phenolic foam, polyisocyanurate, urea-formaldehyde foam, vermiculite, and perlite.
Once your home is adequately sealed and insulated, as a third tip, check your HVAC system. Don’t let the season changes catch you off guard; an emergency HVAC repair can be expensive in Seattle. According to Home Advisor, emergency HVAC repair can cost as high as $1,770, while the national average for repairs is $366.
If you inspect and clean your HVAC system, you can save a lot of money on repairs. Simple actions you can take without a professional’s need are cleaning and changing the air filters and making sure there are no obstructions on the vents or the external unit.
Even when you take good care of your floors, countertops, carpets, etc., with the years, the constant use causes the different materials to lose shine, look dull, and get stains. Hiring a professional cleaning company will help to bring all the surfaces back to life. You may end up saving money on a new carpet or upholstery furniture, instead of buying a new one, your old one might still be recoverable.
Take care of your garden. The garden doesn’t only influence the look of your home, but having a clean and arranged backyard will also help keep your home’s walls clean.
Even when taking preventive measures, owning a house is always expensive, so many homeowners choose to sell their homes and rent in a new place.
When renting, most of the expenses involved in maintaining the house are the landlord’s responsibility, including HOA fees and more. You can also have access to living in a better place while paying much less than owning the house; additionally, there are no real estate taxes, the insurance cost is lower, etc.
You don’t need to own a house to be successful; there are other ways to invest your money than a home. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, selling your house could help get the extra budget needed to start your own business.
I Will Buy House can help you get a better idea of what it looks like to sell your house. We’re a robust property investment company in Seattle that has enough equity to purchase your home fast. We buy houses for cash with no intermediaries, with no commissions or hidden fees. You don’t need to continue spending money on repairs, not even before selling your house, as we also buy houses as-is.
12918 Mukilteo Speedway C23 #105
Lynnwood, WA 98087
206-681-2784
acquisitions@iwillbuyhouse.com
We are a local real estate solutions and investment business that specializes in helping homeowners get rid of burdensome houses fast. We are investors and problem solvers who can buy your house fast with a fair all cash offer.
Simply Call Us 206-681-2784 Or Fill in The Form Below For Your No Obligation “As-Is” Cash Offer!
