It is easy to get carried away when looking at all the houses for sale. The excitement of owning your own place, all the plans you make in your head, picturing yourself living in your dream home, the possibilities that lie ahead of you… When all these thoughts, hopes, and dreams collide, it can be tempting to push the limits of your budget, like maybe including those houses for sale that sits at the upper end of what you can afford… why not? But be careful: in reality, you may be biting off more than you can chew if you have not considered all the expenses. 

So, what is this hidden expense that we are referring to while you are looking at all those houses offered for sale? Actually, it is an expense that comes afterwards – the maintenance of the property. That’s right, the cost of owning a home does not end with the purchase price. You have to also budget for monthly maintenance expenses related to the upkeep of the property for the duration of ownership.

Seasonal Maintenance

Maintenance does not refer to the repairs when things break down but the upkeep of the house to avoid things breaking down and costing you an arm and a leg. This is usually best approached by creating a seasonal checklist for relevant tasks, such as checking gutters before the rainy season, clearing the garden in autumn, or painting the house during the dry season.

What You Can You Do Yourself and What You Can’t 

While some tasks are best left to the professionals, there are many tasks you could tackle yourself to help you save some money. Remember, YouTube is your friend – if you don’t know how to do something, there is probably an instructional video available to take you through the task step by step.

Start A Separate Fund

A great solution is to pre-empt these expenses by starting a savings fund that is specifically dedicated to home maintenance. This way, you can plan projects in advance and kick them off when you already have the money to cover the costs.