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.

