Money Matters Blog

Are you thinking about taking the big step of becoming a homeowner? Purchasing your first house is a significant and exciting change, but it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget about certain costs. If you want to make sure you have all of your financial bases covered before owning a house, keep reading!

Lawn Upkeep

The cost of maintaining a lawn is one people often underestimate. Whether you hire someone to keep your lawn looking fresh or decide to do it yourself, it will cost some money. Besides needing a lawn mower for cutting your grass, keep in mind things like pest control, weed killer, fertilizer and landscape. Other equipment needed in lawn upkeep – a hose, sprinkler, rake, weed wacker, and trimmers, to name a few – can really add up during the first year in your home. Dying to try out your green thumb? Vegetable and flower gardening are great hobbies but will increase your costs in this area even more.

Keeping it Clean

Keeping a house clean is much more challenging and costly than cleaning a small apartment. Many families not only add onto their collection of cleaning supplies, but usually double almost all of the supplies they own. It may sound unnecessary, but once you have to start making trips up and down stairs to clean different levels of the house, you might want to double your supplies, too. 

Property Taxes

One of the biggest payment differences between paying rent for an apartment and paying a house mortgage is property tax. It’s important to figure this out beforehand and add it to your estimated monthly payment so you know what to expect. To get a general idea of how much you’d be spending in property taxes, use an online property tax estimator.

Furnishings and Decor

After buying a house, it’s normal to want to turn that house into a home. The first year in a home is by far the most expensive. Upgrading light fixtures, filling empty rooms with new furniture, changing wall colors… the list goes on. When house hunting, consider what furnishings and décor you’d want to replace immediately and what you can live with for a year or two.

Time

This one seems obvious, and although this particular cost won’t be coming out of your pocket, it’s a very important component to consider. Owning a house means doing everything yourself - something you didn’t always have to do while living in an apartment. Keeping up with maintenance, dealing with pest control and tending to the lawn are some of the many time-consuming things that come with being a homeowner. 

Now that you’ve considered some of the unexpected costs of owning a house, you’re able to make a more informed decision on if taking this step is the right choice for you right now. When you’re ready to take the plunge, our friendly and knowledgeable Loan Officers are here to help you start your homeownership journey.