| Like it or not, routine maintenance comes with ownership of a home or condo. We often grumble about the work. Friends can’t bear the thought of spending a month painting the house. The job seems endless and we sometimes transform into what my friend calls a “home-moaner”.
Are you paralyzed by fear about home maintenance? Alfred Hitchcock gives some tips here.
All kidding aside, without proper care costly repairs will sneak up on you and can become an enormous burden. For example, the unpaned cost of a new roof can a shock to the budget, especially when combined with other expenses such as the holiday or an unforeseen injury.
How to avoid home “moaner” ship?
Set up a schedule for routine maintenance. Many costly repairs can be avoided by attending to problems before they start. For instance, extend the life of your roof by regular treatment for moss and clean your gutters so water drains freely to avoid damage to your roof. Make sure downspouts move water away from your foundation to avoid flooding of basements and crawl spaces. Especially important in our typical rainy Northwest Fall!
Click here for a copy of a user friendly home maintenance checklist.
Budgeting is key
Make a simple maintenance and replacement budget for the key elements of your property and build up your reserves. This will show you how much you should set aside each month to avoid unplanned expenses.
It might look something like this:
For more budgeting tips, click here.
Keeping your property well maintained will allow you to enjoy it more while minimizing unplanned expenses and ultimately allow you to maximize resale value down the line.
Want to talk about other keys to successful property ownership? Or would you like an annual update on the value of your home? I’d be happy to take a look for you!
Best Regards,
Domenica
Windermere Real Estate |
