If you’re a young first-home buyer cruising the real estate scene to find your first home, you’ve probably found an apartment or house that hits the price range but may need thousands of dollars of upgrades.
While this may put some doubts in your mind, you should take heart.
Unless you’re confronting structural issues, many problems that might turn you away as a first-home buyer could be cosmetic and fixed without significant expense.
A common challenge is often the kitchen. But there are ways to approach upgrading this important area without going back to your lender and asking for more money.
6 first-home buyer tips
Homework pays off
Spend a little time familiarizing yourself with the actual cost of building materials and appliances. There’s an enormous disparity in price between top-of-the-line solutions and the budget end of the market. For example, a flat-pack kitchen is excellent value and will transform the home.
Call an expert
If you find a property that’s been unloved, call a building inspector to assess whether the challenges are cosmetic or go deeper. Ask for an assessment of the plumbing, cabinetry and flooring in the bathroom and kitchen.
Why focus on wet areas?
At this early stage of a potential purchase, you need to guard against nasty surprises in the kitchen and bathroom, as these are the most expensive areas to remediate if there’s been water damage.
Cabinet capers
The kitchen may look like a disaster area, but if the structure of the cabinetry is in good shape, you may only need to swap out or paint the doors, add new handles, and rejuvenate the benchtop to make it as good as new.
Light it up
A relatively inexpensive improvement is the installation of modern lighting. By illuminating work areas and adding mood lighting over the benchtop, you’ll transform your kitchen.
Don’t rush
Not everything has to be perfect on the day you move in. Owning property is a lifetime experience, and so long as areas such as a kitchen and bathroom are functional, you can save your cash to remodel down the track.
