Buying a home can be exciting, rewarding, and can help make you money over time by having an asset that increases in equity over time. The typical homeowner plans on spending more than 10,000 dollars on home renovations, however, so it can prove to be a little costly up front. You might think that a home comes already perfectly maintained, and that upgrades will not be necessary. On the contrary, even if your home is new, it’s rare that you won’t face a problem within the first year dealing with maintenance issues, or simply aesthetic issues.
Why Remodel?
For starters, leaving maintenance issues unattended is an incredibly dangerous move. Maintenance issues, such as leaky roofs, plumbing issues, insulation, and so on can damage a home over time if not taken care of. They can also make your time at home a nightmare and cause you and your family tons of stress. Furthermore, if you plan on selling your home after a while, it can be difficult to sell a home that has so many maintenance issues that need to be taken care of. This is especially true if you’re buying an older home that needs a little work done on it. Not being able to sell a home can cause you to have to reach out to a bankruptcy law attorney if you feel you can no longer afford to pay for both your mortgage and maintenance issues at once.
Getting Help
Luckily, many banks can offer assistance through the help of a small home loan for renovations. Some home loan tips to keep in mind is to borrow only the amount you need plus a little extra for cushion for repairs. It’s not necessary to totally refinance your home or take out a second mortgage for routine renovations and repairs. However, keep in mind that you should still be saving money on top of your loan to help in case of any incidentals. If you’d like to know some home loan tips to fix your home up, look at this list of 15 renovations your home loan should be able to help you pay for. Always get the help of the best contractors in your area, and continue to live comfortably!
1. Landscaping
A home should be as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Some home loan tips to remember are to get a loan that will be large enough to help renovate your landscaping if there are any issues. Dead grass, dying plants, insects that kill your lawn, are all serious issues that should be taken care of. With the help of a home loan, you can even install an easy-to-maintain landscaping design such as cactuses or other drought-resistant plants. These landscape designs are not only easy to maintain, but are modern and beautiful as well.
2. Roofing
Roofing can be expensive, ranging in the amount of about $10,000 for a whole roof replacement and repair. However, residential roofing services are essential to utilize in order to keep a roof from further damaging your home. If you continuously maintain your roof, you won’t need to do an entire roof replacement any time soon. Some good home loan tips are to borrow enough to fix simple things such as leaks, cracked tiles, and installing flashing in order to keep your roof sturdy and prevent it from damaging in case of inclement weather, such as a hurricane or hail storm. Roofing can go a long way in keeping your family and your home safe, so don’t skimp on help or materials.
3. Insulation
Having a home that lacks insulation can be one of the most uncomfortable situations you can face as a homeowner. Insulation needs to be adequate enough to keep you warm during the coldest winter days, and cool during the blazing heat of summer. Insulation is determined by the R-Value, which is how thick it must be according to city standards. Without following the R-Value, you could be subject to high energy costs. Some home loan tips to follow are to borrow enough to get insulation that follows the R-Value standards, is easy to install, and is reliable, such as foam or fiberglass insulation.
4. Window Replacement
Windows are a beautiful part of any home, and they can complete the look of a home by making it modern, rustic, or anything in between. Using a small home loan to replace your windows is a good idea if your windows are older than 20 years, have cracks, aren’t properly sealing, and are overall not pleasing to look at anymore. Vinyl windows are a great option if you want a cheap replacement that is still durable. Vinyl windows look modern, are a great selling point, and last between 20-40 years themselves. Get your windows to look great again, and make your home more energy-efficient and secure by replacing them as soon as possible.
5. Door Replacement
Like windows, doors can be a beautiful addition to any home, but can themselves start to deteriorate over time. Harsh weather conditions, damage to locks, and previous break-in attempts all leave doors susceptible to damage and in need of replacements. French sliding doors, for instance, over time become harder and harder to roll on their original wheels, so they need replacing themselves. In addition, your main door to your entrance, doors to rooms, backdoors leading to yards, are all essential parts of your home that should be replaced as soon as they show signs of wear and tear or damage. Doors can also last up to 20 years, so replacing them now will allow you to enjoy them for decades to come! Get a home loan to help you replace any doors you feel are no longer secure. Not only can it vastly improve the look of your home, but it will also help keep you safe and secure.
6. Installing Hardwood
Hardwood is one of the best selling points for a home, and keeps homebuyers excited when shopping for their next living space. If you don’t want to spend a huge amount on installing hardwood, some home loan tips are to get a loan big enough to replace some flooring, and keep carpet in your home clean and presentable. Carpet cleaning services are relatively inexpensive, but having a great-looking carpet combined with hardwood is better than having a dirty carpet all over your home!
7. Help with Plumbing
Having plumbing problems is one of the worst things any homeowner can face. From constantly clogged sink drains, to back-ups, running toilets, and lack of hot water, plumbing problems are a headache that no homeowner wants to deal with. Though some plumbing problems require simple fixes, others, such as problems with a septic tank, can be costly and require the help of a home loan. Some home loan tips you can follow are to get a loan that can help in new septic tank installation or repairs, and that can fix plumbing issues once and for all for not just you, but future home buyers as well.
8. HVAC Upgrades
Updating your heating and air-conditioning unit is a great way to keep your home comfortable during the cold winter months, and bearable during scorching heat. HVAC systems should be maintained regularly by replacing filters, and this simple act can also help in keeping the air quality within your home to safe standards. What you don’t want to do is wait until your HVAC system is completely damaged to start repairs. Some great home loan tips are to get an amount that will help you hire air conditioning contractors to help maintain your HVAC system, and help keep your energy costs low as well.
9. Water Damage
If you live in an area prone to floods or hurricanes, or if your basement has flooded, home water damage cleanup is an essential service you need to utilize. Rotting, mold, sewage, and other health risks can all result from not handling water damage. Make sure to take out a home loan to help you assess and fix any issues that resulted from flooding as soon as possible.
10. New Add-Ons
A new addition to a home, such as a new room, adding a garage or shed, is a great investment to make. One of the best home loan tips is to get a loan that will add on value, but not break the bank. A small home loan to help with the addition of a room will help pay itself back in no time. The addition of even a garage itself is a huge payoff, as home buyers love to see that they have their own parking space, especially in crowded suburbs or cities!
11. Adding a Playground
Whether you plan on selling your home or not, the addition of a playground can be a great selling point for a family, or can simply add some great memories to the lives of your children. Getting a small loan to help install a playground is a great idea if you have children. In addition, a loan can help pay for bark blowers that can help keep your playground clear of any debris. Adding playground fixtures that are made of plastic and have safety nets installed can also help keep your children safe. Keep in mind that a playground should also be regularly inspected and cleaned. Be on the lookout for any issues such as loose screws, trip hazards, and even insects that could potentially bite and harm your child. Besides that, enjoy having a playground in your own backyard!
12. Re-Painting
Painting your home might seem like a simple job. However, some home loan tips to keep in mind are using a loan to get a professional painter to do the job for you. Hard to reach areas, such as high ceilings, the outside of balconies, and crown molding are all areas that could use a touch-up of paint, but are hard to access. Accessing these areas on your own can prove to be dangerous, and you’ll want to avoid any accidents. Use the help of professional painters to help re-paint your home, and use fresh bright colors such as stark white to make your home seem bigger. Other colors can create a calm mood, such as light blue or green. Whatever the case may be, be creative and make sure to paint your home every so often to keep it vibrant.
13. Renovating your Pool
A pool is one of the hottest selling points for a house, and it can either make or break you when it comes time to look for potential buyers. Getting a pool renovated can be costly, so it’s important to constantly maintain your pool by keeping it clean, replacing filters, and shocking your pool to keep bacteria and algae from growing in it. By constantly maintaining the look of your pool, you’ll be able to use it as a huge selling point, having buyers excited and giving offers right away. One of the best home loan tips is to use a loan that will pay for itself, and investing in maintaining your pool and doing deep cleaning every so often is one of the greatest ways to make your investment back.
14. Starting from the Ground Up
If you’re starting to build a home from the ground-up, it can be a very exciting process. Home loan tips for a fixer-upper house are a little different than traditional home loans, as these usually have a higher interest rate as you are expected to sell your fixer-upper home as soon as possible. Nevertheless, a home loan can help you pay for foundation layers, building contractors, and even forklift contractors that need to clear away debris in order to get started on building your new home. Talk to a financial specialist about getting a loan for a fixer-upper house.
15. Increase Security
Security is one of the most important parts of keeping your home and your family safe. This is especially true if you have no cameras, no fencing, and no sort of system to alert you of any intruders going into your home or lurking around your neighborhood. Some home loan tips are getting help to pay for fence installation that can secure your front and backyard, buying a security system such as Ring that allows you to see the faces of anyone coming to your door, and also investing in security systems for your garage or shed.
