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What are the 'extras' when buying a house?

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  • 31-03-2013 8:27pm
    #1
    araic88
    Registered Users Posts: 313 ✭✭


    I don't plan on buying a house in the very near future, but am saving with an eye to buy in a couple of years.
    I'm wondering how much I should allow for 'extras'. If for example I successfully buy a house for €120k, how much should I allow for extras - and what are the extras?! Legal fees? Surveyor fees etc.

    Also, this might seem a silly question but if the house is in an estate which has several green areas, who pays to maintain these?! I've been keeping an eye on one estate and regardless of season, the grass always seems well kept etc. Do the residents contribute to this and generally what might the costs be?

    Lastly, it's probably like asking how long is a piece of string, but what do you think would be a reasonable budget for furnishing an average sized 3 bed house? Not including kitchen and flooring, is 6k far too little?

    Many thanks :pac:


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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,806 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Stamp duty at 1% of price. Lawyers are going to start at about 800+VAT+fees, so up to 1,500 there. May have to pay for the valuation for the bank, may not - depends on the bank, should be about 150. Surveyor is your own choice, 250 upwards seemed to be the going rate.

    Generally the council will either cut the green areas once in a blue moon, or give a paltry contribution (or nothing at all...) to the residents association who then collect money off the residents towards it. If its being cut regularly its almost certainly the residents association. Was €50 in my last estate and that also covered some snow clearance one bad winter, obviously this wasn't compulsory to pay but if nobody paid it, the grass wouldn't get cut....

    You would have trouble furnishing a house from scratch for 6k although you could do it. A bed, kitchen table/chairs and living room suite that you intend to be comfortable and last will cost 2k on its own. Better to have more cash available than try do it on a shoestring.


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    #3
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    I'd say 10k to furnish from scratch.
    You'd be surprised how much you can end up spending just in the kitchen.


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    #4
    StillWaters
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭StillWaters


    If its a newish estate, it might not have been taken into charge by the Council yet, so maintenance fees might be highish. Ask that at viewing stage.

    It may be worthwhile getting a full structural survey done, I think thats about €600.

    I think 6k is a reasonable furniture budget, if you are talking ikea, dunnes, shopping round locally. I recently furnished and decorated a house for 3k using the above and adverts.ie and donedeal.

    €2k per room would give top spec furniture and finish. Very few people have that starting off.


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    #5
    araic88
    Registered Users Posts: 313 ✭✭araic88


    Great, thanks for the help :)
    Stillwaters, yeah I probably would be shopping in Ikea and the likes. I guess I could allow for a bit higher but then see what bargains i can find :P I suppose it depends on the house itself, what's included etc. built in wardrobes & so on.


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    #6
    Brownhead
    Site Banned Posts: 21 ✭Brownhead


    Curtains can be very expensive. Furniture can be bought very cheaply at auctions. Wardrobes sell at auctions for a couple of euro. I saw a good wardrobe in an auction last week and nobody would even give a fiver fof it.


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    #7
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,806 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Pre assembled wardrobes are probably the hardest item of furniture to transport possible, though.


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    #8
    StillWaters
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭StillWaters


    Brownhead wrote: »
    Curtains can be very expensive. Furniture can be bought very cheaply at auctions. Wardrobes sell at auctions for a couple of euro. I saw a good wardrobe in an auction last week and nobody would even give a fiver fof it.

    Ready made curtains are not expensive, maybe €100 per window. Heatons have nice ones.Blinds in Ikea are very cheap.
    Bulky stuff at auction is great value, and can look fab painted up, but you do need a van.


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    #9
    padjo5
    Registered Users Posts: 537 ✭✭✭padjo5


    If the estate is tied into a deal with a management company you can expect to pay upwards of 300e per annum in fees. This figure can vary from estate to estate, and can be triple that amount in apartments.....

    Fees directly related to mortgage are the obligation to put life cover/mortgage protection and home insurance in place before you will be allowed draw down the funds. You can pay these monthly over the term of the mortgage.


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    #10
    Jo King
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,139 ✭✭✭Jo King


    StillWaters wrote: »
    Ready made curtains are not expensive, maybe €100 per window. Heatons have nice ones.Blinds in Ikea are very cheap.
    Bulky stuff at auction is great value, and can look fab painted up, but you do need a van.

    There are plenty of van owners advertising removal services. It is relatively cheap. It is a cost to be factored in however. It should also be borne in mind that some bulky furniture will simply not fit through the doors of some houses or will not go up the stairs. I had to bring a settee in through the patio doors of an apartment because there was a lobby inside the front door of the apartment and the settee would not fit through.


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