According to research done by the MacArthur Foundation between 2012 and 2014, more than half-52%-of Americans have had to make sacrifices in order to pay their mortgage.
Recent research also shows that almost 12 million Americans spend more than half of their income on housing ,which according to many analysts, that is way too much. They believed you should spend 30% of your income on housing, and considering you need to put aside 1% of the buying price of your home for yearly maintenance, that is a big stretch for many families.
The 1% you need to put aside for maintenance does not include home insurance, that is only for the upkeep of the house. Some of the upkeep includes, but is not limited to these:
- Basement waterproofing
- Loose shingles on your roof or other major roofing problems
- Fixing and restoring the rain gutters in your home
- Basic yard and gardening upkeep
- Air conditioning and the Ventilation system in your home
- Siding that comes loose or needs replacing
- Critter Infestation? Do you need to replace vents, or siding due to squirrels or other critters in your home?
- Painting a room or two require many supplies. Budget for them. Basic painting keeps the house looking pretty and healthy.
- Installing a humidifier in your basement can save you money and some headaches down the road. Buying a good quality one is the only way to go.
- Leaking faucets can damage the wood under the sinks, the floor and even the walls in your home. Don’t ignore them even if they don’t seem to be leaking too much. You would be surprised the amount of water it can waste in just a few days.
Every home is different and so are the people living in them. The issues listed here may not seem a problem to you, while they can be huge catastrophes for others. This list is obviously a short version of the problems one may faced at home, the point is to try to take care of the problems as they occur. Postponing them may be worse down the road, and more expensive.
