3 Home Amenities Worth Paying For
Many times, when considering a potential home, all the positive features of the home will be offered right up front. And while this sounds like a good thing, it can often become a little overwhelming. It’s located in a fantastic school district! It’s close to public transportation! It comes with a free parking space! It has a tree in the yard!
That’s all fine and good, but when you need to make a decision between a few houses you’re looking at, all these extra amenities could come into play. One house has a free parking spot; another has better access to public transportation. If you don’t own a car, it’s easy to see which one you’re going to go with. However, as far as for the house itself, here are a few amenities that you should always consider.
1.) Central Air. Unless you live in a perfectly even climate (like some lucky people in southern California), central air is more significant than you think. A window air conditioner can only get you so far, but when they’re running for 24 hours a day, months on end, their life expectancy tends to shorten. Plus, they could be quite large depending on the size of your home, and they take up coveted window space. What’s the point of paying for that amazing view when it’s blocked by a large, gray, humming box?
The cost of installing central air ranges anywhere from $3,000 to $7,000, depending on the size of your home. It has a much longer life expectancy (roughly 10 years when being run 24 hours, 365 days a year), it’s quiet, and it doesn’t block any windows. Paying for a house that already has central air installed could be a huge bargain in the long run.
2.) Up-to-date kitchen appliances. Kitchen appliances are expensive, and top of the line appliances are even more so. If you’re considering a home that has just installed brand new, stainless steel appliances, you know they are not only going to last, but will also make a great selling point if you’re looking to sell in the next 5 years or so. In addition, many newer appliances are eco-friendly, meaning you could also end up with a lower utility bill, saving you even more money on monthly costs.
3.) Whether it can be made handicap accessible. Turning a traditional home into one that is handicap accessible is an enormous and incredibly expensive financial burden, but many newer home are being built with this in mind. Doorways are made larger, for example. You might not be thinking about it now (no one ever wants to envision what life would be like in a wheelchair or with other forms of assistance), but it’s an important point that shouldn’t be overlooked, for both yourself and any family and friends that might be frequently paying you a visit.
