Does everyone aspire to own their own home someday? Just wondering. What is the draw anyway? Are we all just programmed to think that owning a home means you “made it” in life? Maybe. But this blog is not about that.

Ever notice that as you grow up and become an “adult” there are a ton of things that no one ever told you? Like credit, for instance. I never learned a damn thing about credit in school, or from my parents! I didn’t know what actions increased my credit score, and what actions decreased it. I also didn’t know just how important credit is in adult life! You can’t even get an apartment anymore without them running your credit score! This seems like something we should have learned in high school. You know, right along with how to write a check and balance a checkbook (yes, I was taught that!). Especially since everyone goes out and applies for almost every store credit once they turn 18! (or at least 3 of them!) Schools will argue that financial teaching is the parent’s responsibility, I’m sure. But let’s be honest, not all parents are engaged in their kids’ upbringing…and not all adolescents/young adults want to listen to a damn thing their parents say! But this blog is not about credit either. It’s about what you learn as you are muddling through life. It’s about what what they didn’t tell you about being a homeowner.

To give you a little context, J and I are on our second home. I am the type of person that will keep things in the original box and it will still look brand new 10 years from the time I bought it! So I am very diligent about keeping things in the same (or better) condition as when I bought them (aside from normal wear and tear), and I want all repairs to be done correctly and as it would be done by a paid professional. So no jerry-rigging! Why do I tell you this? Because some the things you didn’t know don’t necessarily have to be done. But for me- yes, they have to be done!

Living as a renter, one doesn’t really care much for the maintenance a house requires. Resale value doesn’t matter to a renter, so keeping up with maintenance doesn’t either. Or upgrades. As a homeowner, almost every decision I make is based around what it will to do the resale value. I want to maintain the house in the same, or better, condition as when I bought it, and I want to add upgrades that will increase the resale value. Now, maybe not every homeowner thinks this way, but we move every few years so really need to capitalize on the sale of our house in a short amount of time!

So here are some of the maintenance actions that no one tells you about. And although they are not necessarily required, doing them will save you money in the long run. Small expenses now to prevent BIG expenses later. Because it never fails, if something is neglected it goes to shit and has to be replaced!

• Driveway sealing. Asphalt driveways have to be resealed regularly. The sun and weather, and especially shoveling snow, are hard on asphalt and wear down the binder that holds it together. So resealing your driveway every 2-3 years will prevent you from having to put in a new driveway in 10 years. We had do have it done this month….first time since the house had been built. Thanks previous owner! 
• Sealing granite countertop. Yep. learned this in the Arizona house. There are kits you can buy from Home Depot that have a cleaner and sealer. And do yourself a favor– save your arms and get a hand buffer! This should be done every year to keep your countertops looking nice and prevent stains. Some websites even say every 6 months! I think its safe to say that the counters in this house have never been done, and will be getting sealed this month!
• Sealing grout. Wow, all these things that need sealed! Grout is the cement between tiles, in case you didn’t know. It’s used with floor tiles and bathroom tiles. And our house has both. Grout is very porous so it absorbs spills and stains easily. Sealing it will prevent stains and mold build up. You can buy a pen in the color of grout you have and just sort of “paint” over the stain. But not in this house! The sealant you use determines how often this needs done. I bought a heavy duty sealant (at an insane price) so that it will last 10 or more years instead of just one or two. The grout has to be thoroughly cleaned, then let dry completely. Then apply one coat, dry, another coat, dry. Sealant, and a grout cleaner, can also be purchased at a home improvement store. This will be getting done this week!
• Air duct cleaning. I hope everyone knows that your furnace/AC has a filter that needs to be changed every month or 3 months (depending on what filter you use). But the air ducts themselves should also be cleaned periodically. Maybe every 3-5 years depending on what’s going on in your house. For us, we have 3 dogs and live in an area that has high mold, so ours may need it every 3 years. The EPA has recommendations on when you should have them cleaned. Like if you notice dust blowing out of the register with the airflow, or if you see bugs coming out of the registers. This house was surface clean when we bought it, but the previous owner did not do any maintenance at all. So this will be done this fall. 
• Deck reseal/restain. Another sealing. Decks deal with all the elements! So they wear fast and the wood will rot and split if it’s not cared for properly. A deck should be cleaned and refinished ever year or 2, depending on what finish you use. Opaque finishes that color the wood will last longer than clear or transparent finishes that just tint the wood. You can do this yourself over a weekend. All the tools you need you can get at a home improvement store. 
• Pressure washing. Especially here! Like I said, mold grows like crazy here! And if you don’t clean it, it will cause rot. Our porches, vinyl railings, and even the vinyl siding all need pressure washed at least once a year. we have a small pressure washer to do the railings, porches, shutters, etc, but have to hire someone to do the house. For our house in AZ, the problem was all the dust. But it was easy to take care of with just a garden hose. 
• Bugs! Maybe this is not an expense for some, but I hate bugs! In Arizona we had Terminex come out quarterly to spray for bugs. Water roaches, scorpions, spiders, and ants were our big problems there. There is not a spray to get rid of spiders. You just have to keep knocking down their webs and kill off their food source and they will find somewhere else to live. Here, our problems are beetles, termites, stink bugs and spiders. We looked into a exterminator when we moved in, but didn’t like their contract terms so decided to do it ourselves. We have a spider problem, but they all stay outside. There is a season for stink bugs. They aren’t all-year round, and they always seem to make their way into the house! I just vacuum them up. lol! 
• Gutter cleaning and landscape maintenance. Gutters attract leaves. It’s crazy! We can’t reach all of our gutters, so would have to hire someone to come clean them. They now have a product that is a gutter cover so leaves won’t clog them up, but that is a bigger expense than just doing the work. Landscape maintenance includes trimming bushes, cutting down dead trees, planning and planting landscaping. Most of this is for aesthetic purpose and curb appeal, but you also want to prevent any damage that could happen from neglecting your landscaping. Like a storm coming through and toppling the dead tree on the side of your driveway right onto your minivan! Happened to a guy down the street this spring. Also, the caterpillars here eat plants, and if you let it go then they can kill the plant. They were feasting on the pear tree in our front yard and would have killed it if we didn’t take action in the form of insecticides. Planting flowers and applying new mulch every spring, as well as reseeding sparse spots on the lawn are other landscaping needs. Again, it’s mostly just for curb appeal. 
• Septic System cleaning. This house has a septic system, how fun! Said no one EVER! They need to be pumped about every 5 years, depending on how big your tank is, what system you have, and how many people in your household. For us, it’s about 5 years. If we had a full house, it would probably be 3 years. It is something that also gets done in the buying/selling of a house, so it was done just before we moved in and it will be done when we sell it. Our system was under a maintenance contract from the builder wherein a company would come out and inspect the system, check the sediment, and make any necessary repairs. The contract expired last fall so we have to renew it ourselves if we choose to do so.
• Home Warranty. Ok, this is not required at all, but is something I would definitely recommend! It’s like insurance…you pay a monthly fee and when something breaks (AC, oven, washer/dryer, etc.) you just pay the service fee (ours is $75) to have it fixed or replaced! We had one for the Arizona house and for here, and have used it in both places. The standard contract does not cover the refrigerator, so make sure you add that on! They don’t make fridge’s like they used to, and having to replace one is not cheap! We have used our warranty for the fridge in both houses!