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April 03, 2020 | Geoff Geddes

Additional costs to consider before you close on a new-home purchase

While budgets, like rules, are often made to be broken, there are some additional costs associated with the purchase of a new home that buyers should keep in mind to avoid breaking the bank.

"A lot of that added expense is items outside the home, such as landscaping, fencing and decks," said Karl Bursnell, sales contracts manager for Homes by Avi. "Most builders will also offer a turnkey package that includes landscaping, but typically, for a single-family, detached home, you are doing it yourself."

Many people like to develop the basement when the house is first built, as it finishes the home and ensures consistency with the main and upper floors.

"It also tends to be a better value if you finish the basement at the time of building rather than down the road," said Bursnell. "Your home is then complete, and you can add the development costs to the mortgage."
"Typically, your standard kitchen appliances – such as fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave and hood fan – are included, but that is not always the case for the washer and dryer." - Stefen Vavrek, Mattamy Homes

Some buyers assume that window coverings are included with a new-home purchase, but you know what they say about making assumptions.

"It's not very common to see window coverings as an included feature from what I've seen, so that's something people should keep in mind in setting their budget," said Stefen Vavrek, sales manager for Mattamy Homes in Calgary.

There are a few more items that are easily overlooked by first-time buyers.

"Typically, your standard kitchen appliances – such as fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave and hood fan – are included, but that is not always the case for the washer and dryer," said Vavrek.

Though there are no hard-and-fast rules for what new-home buyers in Calgary should expect as part of the purchase price, there are some elements that tend to be included.

"In Australia, you can buy a new home and have no kitchen cabinets installed unless you add them to the deal," said Bursnell.

"In North America, however, the vast majority of items inside the home will be part of the package – appliances, complete flooring, fully painted walls throughout the home, all finishings, tile work in the bathroom and kitchen, and, yes, the kitchen cabinets."

The good news is, if you budget for the extras, you can essentially take possession on a Monday morning and start moving in by the afternoon, secure in the knowledge that all costs have been accounted for.

Tagged: appliances | Calgary | Calgary Real Estate | Calgary Real Estate News | Costs | Feature | Homebuyers | Homes by Avi | House & Home | landscaping | Mattamy Homes | new builds | New Communities | New Communities | new homes | Window Treatments


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