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A renovation before and after
A renovation before and after

Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Fixer-Upper Home

为了追求完美的生活空间,bet3365标准版大多数人都梦想着买一套老房子来改造. But that dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if you’re not careful.

There can be something so whimsical about buying a fixer-upper house. 以折扣价购买一栋迷人的老房子,然后把它改造成你梦想中的家,这该有多有趣啊? Sure, it’ll require some hard work and elbow grease, but at the end of the day, 房子会根据你的需要和愿望进行定制——你会省下一大笔钱. Right? 

When building or buying a home, 重要的是要有一个现实的时间表和预算,以考虑到你的装修所涉及的每一项成本.  

这里有一些需要知道的小贴士,教你如何确保买一套修缮房屋不会超出你的预算或让你变得理智.  

Hire a professional. 

When investing in fixer-upper houses, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. An essential step in the fixer-upper home buying process is hiring a quality inspector to assess the property. They can tell you exactly how much renovation you will need. Then, 你可以得到估价,并让你的房地产经纪人把它带给卖方,以帮助协商价格.  

If most of the needed repairs are cosmetic, your fixer-upper renovation may be less expensive and a quicker process. 但是如果你的预算不允许修理房屋的结构损坏, knocking down walls, replacing electrical systems (you get the idea), then buying the house may not be worth it. Here are some potential issues to look out for: 

  • Cracks in the foundation
  • Signs of water damage in the basement
  • Pest infestation
  • Strange odors (mustiness could indicate mold, or a sewage smell could mean trouble with the septic tank)
  • Poorly maintained roof
  • Old, outdated plumbing and electrical systems 

Usually, an inspector will find these things during the walk-through, but if you see many of these red flags during the viewing, you may be better off declining to make an offer. Preparing a home inspection checklist can help save you time and heartbreak.   

Don’t overestimate your skills. 

Most of us have been guilty of this. bet3365标准版看了几个小时的HGTV,成功地做了一个DIY项目,突然间,bet3365标准版认为bet3365标准版可以解决任何问题 home repair with the right tools and how-to video on YouTube. 但有些项目需要专业经验和巨额预算才能购买正确的设备. 

一开始一个简单的下午项目可能很快就会变成整个周末, with dozens of trips to your hardware store to fix issues. Before you know it, 你花了比预期多得多的钱,还得请专业人士来完成这项工作.  

When drawing up estimates on fixing up a house, 确保你考虑到最坏的情况,并考虑到如果你必须在所有项目中雇佣承包商,它将花费多少钱. 雇佣一名专业人士可能会为你节省开支,因为你知道你的项目会顺利完成.  

此外,当你合计买房的前期成本时,不要忘记许可证的成本. Depending on what you need, they can add up. Some home warranty plansies—like our ShieldPlatinum™ plan—offer coverage for permits and code violations costs.  

Be pessimistic.  

No one likes a Debbie Downer. But in the case of buying a fixer upper, 你应该为所有的东西都做好准备,这样你就可以为装修过程中发现的任何问题买单.  

当涉及到时间框架时,将初始估计加倍可能会有所帮助. 有几个因素会影响家庭装修的时间表,其中许多是很难预测的. Some fixer-upper home renovation delays can be caused by: 

  • weather
  • construction material delays
  • lack of funds
  • contractor availability  

At the beginning of the process, map out everything you want completed. Some delays are inevitable, 但如果你在装修期间突然改变主意, it’s going to cost you more time and money.  

Thinking about coverage?

Sounds like a plan. Find the warranty that fits you best.

Invest in a quality contractor. 

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你可能喜欢便宜货,但在建筑方面,你往往一分钱一分货. When hiring a contractor, 重要的是要做好调查,确保他们的声誉高于他们. Know exactly what questions to ask, communicate clear expectations, and always get a written estimate. When shopping around, there are signs of quality you can look out for as well as potential red flags.  

如果你的装修包括大件工程,问问你的承包商他们是否提供 builder’s home warranty, just in case something goes wrong after the job is done.  

Know where to hunt for real estate.  

无论你是在修缮一所旧房子,还是在寻找多处房产来转手, here are a few ways to find them.   

  • Look for “short sale” or “real estate owned (REO)”. 短售房是指卖方以低于其抵押贷款的价格出售房屋. REO means that the house was foreclosed by the bank. Both of these types of home sales are typically priced below market value. Just be prepared—sometimes these sales don’t include inspections.  
  • Hunt down foreclosure auctions. 止赎拍卖有点像玩彩票:有可能以极低的价格获得一处惊人房产的所有权. 问题是,因为这是一场拍卖,你很少有机会在购买之前看到房子. Another risk of auctions is they usually only take cash. 如果你走这条路,一定要雇一个专门处理止赎的房地产经纪人. 
  • Keep an eye on how long a house has been on the market. 在许多房地产市场,如果一套房子已经出售了很长时间,通常是有原因的. This could indicate the house is a fixer upper. 

如果你是房地产的新手,正在寻找你梦想中的家,这里有一些 tips for first-time home buyers.  

Utilize all of your financial options.  

如果你想买一套待修的房子,但在付了首付后没有足够的预算来装修, you still have options. Some lenders offer fixer-upper mortgages, 哪一种方式可以将装修费用和房屋本身的费用合并为一笔付款.  

With a fixer-upper loan, 翻修的钱存放在一个托管账户里,按需发放. There are usually even allowances in case you go over budget. This type of loan may come with additional fees, 所以,在决定购买一套待售房屋是否适合你的财务状况时,一定要考虑到这些因素.  

Check out more information on mortgage approval and what you can do to expedite the process.  

Re-think your living arrangements. 

Can you live in your new home while it’s being renovated? Sometimes, yes. But will it be a pleasant experience? Maybe not.  

在装修期间住在现场似乎是合乎逻辑的——你会在那里回答任何问题, you’ll save money on rent or avoid paying two mortgages, 你可以把你的空闲时间花在你的DIY项目上,而不必来回旅行. But living in a construction zone can be a nightmare. Depending on the scale of the project, you could experience days of no water, power, heat, or air conditioning.  

以防万一,有一个次要的生活选择可能是个好主意. 你最不想要的就是在你有机会享受它之前就开始怨恨你的新家.

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当谈到修缮房屋时,保持预算和提前计划是关键. 在你买了房子之后,通过购买房屋保修来保护你的预算. American Home Shield has affordable home warranties for home buyers 这可以作为家庭系统和电器意外故障的预算安全网.

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