JULY 13 • 2023 | 39

H

ave you ever wished
homeownership came
with a user’s manual?
There’s only so much you can
prepare for, whether you’re
buying your starter home, for-
ever home — or something in
between. It’s all too common
to face unexpected expenses,
including ongoing maintenance
of your property with hidden
added costs. In a new survey
conducted in collaboration
with OnePoll, TruGreen found
that nearly half of homeowners
(44%) invested more money in
their home during the first year
of homeownership than they
expected.
To equip homeowners with
more realistic expectations
before purchasing a new home,
TruGreen®, the nation’s leading
lawn care provider, shares the
top three lessons homeowners
have learned.

1. HOME MAINTENANCE
IS CRUCIAL — AND WILL
COST YOU
No matter what type of home
you buy — from fixer-up-
pers to move-in ready — you
should expect some repairs
and replacements, plus rou-
tine maintenance. While this
will vary depending on your
home’s age, size and condition,
rest assured that most homes
require regular care to help pre-
vent long-term (and potentially
expensive) damage.
So, how much maintenance
is required when you purchase
a home? In the survey, home-
owners’ top expenses during
their first year as a homeowner
were appliance replacements
(56%), exterior repairs such
as windows (53%) and major
repairs like roofing (52%).
Furthermore, when prioritizing
maintenance, homeowners
mainly focused on their home’s

exterior, such as patios (42%)
and their yard or lawn (39%).
Ensuring you have the means
to handle unanticipated repairs
and routine maintenance before
you buy will help prevent finan-
cial stress down the road.

2. INVESTING IN YOUR
PROPERTY TO CREATE A
HOME
When you first move into your
new house, don’t get discour-
aged if you don’t initially feel
like you’re really “home.
” The
homeowners surveyed spent
an average of two and a half
years upgrading their homes
before they were pleased with
it. Despite the time and money
they invested in the property
— or perhaps because of it —
nearly 71% of homeowners said
they now feel like they’ve found
their forever home.
Your house is more than just
a place to call home, it’s also
an investment. And if it’s man-
aged properly, your home can
also provide a great return on

investment.

3. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE
SURPRISES — SO DON’T
BE AFRAID TO CALL A PRO
Even the most prepared home-
buyer will encounter surprise
expenses after signing on the
dotted line. According to the
survey, the average homeowner
has encountered about four
surprises or unexpected costs
within their first year of home-
ownership.
Beyond the surprise of
unpredicted expenses, some of
these tasks may be new and cre-
ate challenges for homeowners
to handle on their own. In fact,
62% would call a professional
for a home improvement proj-
ect, and nearly one-third of
homeowners would hire a pro
for home maintenance.
Handing maintenance or
improvement projects to the
pros can be a smart move to
ensure the job will be done well.
It can prevent future problems
and save time you’
d rather

spend enjoying your home. For
example, hiring a professional
service to handle your lawn care
can allow for more free time
to actually enjoy your outdoor
space, while giving you a sense
of pride in how great it looks.
“Buying a new home is a tre-
mendous milestone that brings
much to celebrate, but the new
responsibilities of homeown-
ership can also be stressful,
”
said Brian Feldman, senior
director of technical operations
at TruGreen. “
As a new home-
owner, there’s no need to waste
time figuring out the best ways
to maintain your home. To help
tackle what can seem like an
ongoing to-do list, you should
consider partnering with the
professionals.
”
If you’re like the 75% of
homeowners surveyed who
believe it’s important that their
yard or home’s exterior looks
impeccable, consider partnering
with an outdoor expert such as
TruGreen to make your lawn
look great.

REAL ESTATE

Secret Keys to
Homeownership

BPT

Three things you should know before buying a home.