House maintenance cost

[Midpack]

We spent less than 1% on home maintenance & repairs, but we do as much as we can ourselves. I suspect if I added major replacements like HVAC, roofing, major appliances that are very sporadic (not annual by any means) it might be closer to 2% per year. I can't imagine spending twice that, like 4% per year, under any circumstances.

And the OP mentioned expenses other than maintenance & repairs so this thread may be a little confusing to follow. YMMV

 

[tmm99]

Yeah, I thought all there was, was house repair/replacement/property tax, but after reading some of the items the forum members posted, I felt I forgot some things (lawn care for one, although I could probably do that myself. And duh, home owners insurance - I am currently paying renter's insurance, but it's only $200/yr), so I bumped up my estimated house maintenace cost. I am not including anything else to this budget though (utility bills / sewer, etc) although any place I move to will incur more electricity expense due to use of A/C.

Maybe I can lower the estimated house maintenance expense to be 3% of total value of the house instead of 4%.

 

[Katsmeow]

In thinking about property taxes also look at how close to market value properties are typically valued. Around here (in Texas) rates are high but most houses I've seen have assessed values that are typically less than market value so there is some savings there.

Also in some parts of Texas -- mostly subdivisions -- you have to pay MUD taxes which can be high. In the urban areas no MUD taxes but city water may be very expensive. Outside the cities and suburbs there is usually no MUD taxes but no public water so you have the cost of well and septic.

In the rural subdivision we are in now, there is private water and no MUD taxes so we have septic but pay a water bill. But because it is private water with no MUD the water rates are very high. When we bought this house I totally underestimated the cost of utilities. The water and electric are through a private coop and rates are high. I was used to low electric rates and being able to easily change carriers but my old carrier doesn't provide electric here.