Three Ways to Not Go Broke Living in an Old Home

 

Learn to Ignore Imperfections:  Remember, it's an old home.  When you bought it, you probably really enjoyed the quirkiness of the un-level floors, the creaky stairs and the interesting décor.  When you think you don't like something, go think about something else.


Learn to Fix Some Things on Your Own:  You can't hire everything out, unless you have tons of cash sitting in offshore accounts.  Invest in some good tools.  Learn from the contractors you do hire so that you can apply it to your own work.  YouTube is another great resource.


Prioritize Repairs:  Not all house repairs are created equal.  Safety comes first.  Is a floor sagging and possibly falling through?  Exposed electrical? Fix it.  Then look at risk.  Can future repairs get out of hand if you put them off? Anything with uncontrolled water fits here.  Once these are knocked out you can start doing the more fun things like painting, fixtures and furniture.