Before You Buy a House, Consider These 'Extra' Expenses

You can save yourself stress by planning for these other costs.

It's funny; for me, buying a home is a lot like childbirth -- no matter how traumatic it is in the moment, there's a sweet amnesia that sets in after signing that mortgage. I am always (always) surprised by the number of extra expenses that pop up when we buy a home. There are small costs, like tipping the crew who delivers our furniture, and significant expenses, like closing costs, property taxes, and homeowners insurance. Here, we'll discuss some of the other reasons you may need to pull out your wallet, even if you didn't plan on spending more.

Outdoor maintenance

If you have a yard, you'll need to decide how you're going to take care of it. Will you hire someone to mow and trim, or do you plan to do that yourself? If you don't already have the lawn equipment you need, go ahead and budget those in. Don't forget about a snowblower if you've moved somewhere with a lot of snow. There's also the cost of driveway maintenance to consider. Depending on the type of driveway, yours may need ruts filled, seal coating, or leveling.

There are also plants, flowers, and new garden hoses to buy. If the property is on a septic tank, caring for it will become part of your budget. You may also want to plan for expenses like:

• Deck cleaning
• Pool or hot tub maintenance
• Power washing
• Tree maintenance
• Pest control

Even if the exterior paint has not chipped, faded, or flaked yet, it's a good idea to put money away each month for the eventual need to paint. The average cost in the U.S. to have a 2,400-square-foot home painted is between $1,800 and $5,000, according to HomeGuide. Putting a little money away each month for big projects like this can take the sting out of paying for them when the time comes.

Interior costs

You have so much to think about when you move. Here are some of the expenses that are easy to forget.

• Moving costs: Depending on how far you're moving and how many belongings you own, you'll pay anywhere from $900 to $10,500 to move out of state, according to HomeAdvisor.
• Home warranty: Not everyone has (or wants) a home warranty, but ours has easily paid for itself, and I can't imagine going without one. Coverage for our home costs $63 per month, but over the past three years we have had two furnaces and a water heater replaced. Best of all, we don't have to worry about whether the stove, dishwasher, or washing machine will break because we know we're covered.
• Deep move-in clean: I vowed a couple of moves back to never move into a house that has not been cleaned from top to bottom. Moving is time consuming and exhausting -- and for me, it's worth it to pay a crew $300 to $400 to deep clean every inch of a home before our first box comes through the front door. If you enjoy deep cleaning yourself, this is money you can keep in your savings account or put toward something fun for the house.
• New locks: Since there's no way to know how many people have a key to the house, the best bet is to change the locks.
• Window treatments: I typically underestimate how much it's going to cost to cover windows. Next time I move, there will be a special fund for window treatments.
• Kitchen staples: Depending on how far you move and how long your belongings are in storage, some food items may need to be replaced -- like spices, condiments, sugar, and flour.
• Household supplies: Movers may not want to pack cleaning supplies, aerosol sprays, or gas canisters. The smart move is to leave anything that might be dangerous and repurchase it when you arrive at your new home. If something is too dangerous for a professional moving company to transport, it's equally dangerous for you to move.

Miscellaneous

I'm continually surprised by how much more (or less) things cost depending on where you settle. For example, it's easy to pay $200 to $400 per month for water in Kansas City, whereas water in St. Louis is one-tenth of the price. Here are a few of the other miscellaneous costs you should find out about (and budget for).

• Trash: Check whether garbage pickup is free through the city or if you are required to pay a private waste company.
• Homeowners association: If you're moving to a property that's part of a homeowners association (HOA), check what you may need to pay for, like ongoing HOA fees, storage for your classic car, or special materials for an HOA-approved fence. Ask what happens if there's a significant problem in your neighborhood (like a sinkhole that swallows the tennis court) or if there are times when you will be expected to shell out more money to the HOA.
• Fee for school bus service: If you have kids in school, check to see whether the public schools in your area charge for school bus service. While that was once unheard of, more districts are charging for bus services to cover budget shortfalls.

As exciting as moving into a new place is, it can be stressful. The best thing any of us can do is plan for any eventuality, and that includes spending more than expected once you've closed on the house.