Homeowners Shared 13 Tips That'll Truly Make All The Difference When Buying A Home

"Bottom line: If you’re happy in your rented apartment, STAY in your rented apartment."

by Jasmin Suknanan

We recently published a post on reasons why people say they regretted buying their home. And let us tell you, people had *a lot* to say.

But we also noticed people sharing some useful home-buying tips that can actually prevent new homeowners from having some of those regrets. So we rounded up some of those tips below! Here are the best ones:

1. "Equity, equity, equity. Do your research, and know what is important to you. Get a good real estate agent who really wants what’s best for you, not just the quick sale for commissions."

"Don’t buy more than you can afford, even if the bank allows it."   —callumsmommy

2. "It is important to know the lifespan of key home features! Roofs, appliances, furnaces, water heaters, septic, and irrigation systems all have expected lifespans that can be shortened by a lot of factors. And they cost a lot to repair or replace."

"Often, you can get great rebates on upgrades from utility companies or government rebates if you go with eco-friendly options that cost more initially. I just put in a hybrid water heater that, with rebates, cost a couple hundred more than a standard model, but it cut my electric bill in half. Thankfully, I knew that it was an upcoming expense, so I had the money set aside and kept my eye out for deals on the model I wanted. Anytime you have to fix something out of desperation, you are in danger of getting gauged."   —mamasquatch4

3. "If you can't do a professional inspection, or you have any doubts, walk away."

"If your agent is pressuring you, get a different one. When it comes to older homes, assume you'll need to do work on them."   —sdk

4. "I recognize that this is a very privileged perspective, but what I've learned in my short time as a homeowner (a little under two years now) is if you can afford it, keep up with all the little things that need maintenance or upkeep."

"Don't put it off, or it will get worse and more expensive, and the things will pile up. There are a lot of costs that go into being a homeowner aside from just the purchase of the house and your mortgage."     —katieh46

5. "I have owned and lived in the same house for almost 19 years. I have found that there is always going to be something that needs to be fixed. YouTube is actually SUPER helpful with videos. Homeownership can feel challenging, but you are enhancing and protecting YOUR asset."   —iknowthatiknownothing

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasminsuknanan/home-buying-tips-that-make-a-difference