All that said, buying a home is an arduous project. There's not a lot of transparency, and it's socially seen as a weird thing to talk about. Many times, people don't know what to expect until they're going through the process themselves.
As a result, a lot of little details come up that people aren't anticipating, simply because no one talks about the process. It can cause a lot of confusion if you don't know what's reasonable or not, and in some cases, it can even cost you a deal.
I've been there, and I hear you, and I'm here to talk some of the mystery out of that process. I scoured Reddit to see what costs and fees snuck up on people while buying homes so you can be in the know.
"Our mortgage company underestimated our taxes based on the seller's old property taxes. Estimated 6k actual 12k. So the mortgage we expected to pay is about $400/month less than we are on the hook for."
"If you walk into the house and don't love the paint color, trim, window coverings, tile, carpet choices, light fixtures, etc. etc. etc., realize that you'll be paying to change these things because you own the home and will feel like you can. Hate popcorn ceilings? Even if you do it yourself, you have to purchase the supplies for all of these changes. Personalizing your home is incredibly costly."
8.Painting/wallpapering/etc. costs more than you think.
9.So does lawn care/landscaping.
10.And if you have sprinklers?
11.Expect the unexpected. Things that work when you first try them can break down.
12.The full cost of utilities is no joke.
13.The cost of keeping yourself going through the process is something to consider.
14.Time is a huge hidden cost that most people don't consider.
Of course, there's even more that will vary by your location, down payment amount, different incentives available to you, and more. Point being DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Have any stories of things we missed here? Enlighten those on this journey in the comments.
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