You know all about the big costs of buying real estate, but what are some of the smaller fees you'll come across that might take you by surprise?
Whether you're buying or selling in Canberra , there are going to be a lot of costs – so many, it's a good idea to write them down. Twice, even. While we might think we have a handle on all of the big ones – like paying for a home, mortgage fees and stamp duty – there are many more little costs you're going to need to remember.
This isn't something to stress about though – think of them as a few more small items to check off as you move. With some advance budgeting and a little bit of research, you can make the entire process incredibly smooth and easy. To help you out, here are a few costs to keep an eye on!
Hiring a moving company
Unless you have a trailer and want to do it all yourself, you'll probably hire a moving company to assist with your transition into a new home. Moving Services suggests that this part of the process can cost anywhere between $500 and $3,500, depending on how much you move and how far it is going. Of course, if you have a friend with a trailer, you might be able to cut down on a lot of this with minimum fuss.
Starting up your electricity
If you are starting a new power account, there are likely to be costs to stay on top of. Some state government departments note that people with good credit histories and existing customers of companies should be able to be reconnected for free, but new customers might have to pay a security bond – having a little cash on the side for this makes moving easy.
This shouldn't be too much in the grand scheme of things, but is still about $200 towards setting up your real estate .
what's the cost of turning on the lights in your home?
Plugging in your phone and Internet
You need to select a connection plan that suits the longevity of your stay and your Internet use.
The cost of a new phone setup will vary depending on your mileage on the information superhighway. Comparison site Whistle out indicates that for Canberra metro areas, unlimited broadband can cost between $30 and $80 per month, but some long term contracts will have minimum spends – $1,920 over 24 months, for example.
You need to select a connection plan that suits the longevity of your stay and your internet use – make sure you have enough data to stream Game of Thrones!
Strata inspection
If you have been looking at apartments for sale in Canberra, you may have to get a strata inspection to go over the fine print of what living in the building means. This tells you about certain levies and obligations you might have as an owner of strata title, and should cost around $200-$250.
You'll also want to take on board any new school uniforms, maybe some reupholstering, and even getting your mail redirected. But with the right real estate agent on your side, you can be prepared for all of the associated costs!
