Additional Expenses of a New TV Home
 

If you bought a new home in TV, what other expenses did you feel you needed in the house immediately ?

Garage insulation, solar tubes, landscaping?

Visiting in April and may buy in Fenney. Want to make sure we don't max out the house and not have enough to do other things

Thanks

Additional Expenses of a New TV Home
 

You don’t need to do anything. But if you feel the need to, wait at least one year. You’ll be amazed what you thought to be a good idea 6 months ago now feels like...what was I thinking ? Bottom line, keep your wallet closed until your wants become a real need.




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You will need blinds and/or shades for privacy and to keep out the sun.
Ceiling fans for your comfort and to keep down utility costs so you can keep your thermostat a little higher.
If you are seriously energy conscious, a higher rated SEER on your A/C system; it pays over the long haul.
Get a credit on items you really don't want and/or upgrade on things you really do want.
Good luck and happy shopping!

Additional Expenses of a New TV Home
 

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Get rid of all carpeting, install either laminate or hard wood

Almost everyone spends about another 10K on new homes after purchase. You need blinds, washer and dryer, attic stairs, landscaping, probably some rooms painted, and more. Some want to do epoxy on the garage floor before anything is in it. Different things done by different folks, but almost everyone spends at least another 10K.

And most of those things are already done with a resale. When you look at the bond difference and the cost of what you have to add to a new home, resales become a better value.

In reality if you purchase a completed house what you spend after you purchase your home is optional. Some people will tell you that you have to have a water filter/softener system, solar tubes, driveway treatments, etc. but you don't. We have done many many things since we moved here and if we had to do it over we would spend more money on our lot (view or privacy) and stretch our house. Those things you can't change later. I would sacrifice every upgrade the builder offers for those things if needed. We retired and moved here directly with no experience with living on our retirement income. In reality we could have afforded much more than we spent. I was given this advice before we had our design meeting but I didn't listen. Live and learn.

Window coverings...the rest can wait....and look at resales too....everything finished...there are some really exceptional ones in good locations.

There was another post about things to do when you move into a new home, and it said the main thing is to be friendly and get to know your neighbors. It said that if you just focus on the house and ignore your neighbors, they will naturally form their own groups (cliques) that do not include you, and you will find yourself being left out.

The post also said to have your garage floor epoxied. It is hard to do after you move in and the garage is full of stuff.

Window coverings? That surprises me as the new house we bought already had decent matching blinds throughout. I thought all new homes had them but maybe I'm wrong on that.

We added some landscaping and a decorative sealant for the lanai floor plus bought a washer and dryer as those weren't included in the house. Once we moved in (we rented the house out unfurnished for a year before retiring and moving here), we realized that the renters were right on a couple of things and addressed those. Namely, we really didn't like the fridge the house came with and the water taste wasn't great. We got a new fridge and moved the old one to the garage to hold drinks and we had the folks from Nova come out and add whole-home water filtration and now the water tastes great.

I kind of like the looks of the sealed, dressed-up driveways and garage floors but not enough to warrant the initial cost and whatever upkeep and/or replacement those would entail. As far as removing carpeting, I actually prefer carpeting - especially in the living room. Hardwood or tile floors are easier to maintain and look nice but I'm a home theater enthusiast and hard floors really make a good sound system sound harsh and echo-y plus party conversation is much louder. I've yet to put in attic stairs as I use the attic so rarely that using a ladder just isn't that much of an inconvenience. Our lanai faces north so we didn't have to put in shades for it but I know a lot of folks who've added something for their lanais that are in direct sun. The house is open and light enough for us that we haven't felt the need for solar tubes, though I can see their appeal.

For some folks, particularly from northern states, the temptation to add a palm tree is overwhelming. Research it first. They can look really great but some varieties require quite a lot of maintenance and some folks argue that they attract palm rats (which are different than the common rats you get up north but just as annoying). We're tempted ourselves (we're from Michigan, after all) but since the neighbors on both sides of our house have them, we can enjoy theirs until we ever decide to get one of our own.

Some folks here also spend a LOT on Christmas decorations, some spend little, many do nothing. If you haven't been here over Christmas, you're in for either a treat or a shock. There are some displays out there you might find amazing and some you might find garish. Your neighborhood may already have an established theme and you might want to buy matching items to fit in. Up to you, of course.

Oh, and you have to save out a few bucks ($50 and up) for a name sign for the light post out front! Take your time, look around the neighborhood and pick out something you'll like for a long time. Moving here from a northern state will make you want to put up one with palm trees in it or maybe golfers but check out how many like that are already out there! Here's a chance to show your personality and creativity!

There are only two things that are difficult to do after you move in. Epoxy the garage floor and replace the cheap carpet. We wished we had waited 6 months before doing landscaping, bought window treatments, upgraded entrance, put in attic fan, and installed crown molding. Suggest you put in the garage attic stairs. You are going to bring to much stuff. Biggest thing is get at least 2 quotes for everything.

I agree with you except...Attic stairs, our new homes came with blinds. We kept the original landscaping from both houses. The landscaping they give you is lovely and very right for this part of Florida, it lives through frosts and I think they do a great job with arrangement.

We later added pebbles and low walls and removed a few bushes. Things grow fast here.

We added downspouts and brought our washer and dryer with us. I personally prefer a new home since resales are about the same price here. We have had only two used homes out of eleven.

Excellent response

Yes, thanks for taking the time on your post.

A lot of good info from all.

Thanks