Buying and moving into a new home is a long and complicated process, not to mention a stressful one. There’s so much you need to do, so much planning and researching. First, you need to ensure you have the necessary funding in place, which usually means going to the bank and trying to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Then you must find an excellent real estate agent and go to many open houses before finding the home you want. But the work doesn’t end there. There is the whole moving process and settling into a new home. The entire thing can get pretty overwhelming. So, it’s no wonder many people lately have been opting to purchase move-in ready homes to make everything a little simpler. However, not everyone is adequately informed about the pros and cons of move-in ready homes. And that’s what we will explore today.
What exactly is a move-in ready home?
Before we go into the pros and cons of move-in ready homes, let’s start by defining what those homes are. When we say that a home is move-in ready, it means it meets all the legal code requirements. That property is deemed livable and is in full accordance with the law. There are some key features a move-in ready home needs to have.
First, it has to have a properly working plumbing system and follow the national electrical code. In addition to that HVAC system also needs to be in good condition. Flores and walls also need to be in good shape without significant issues. Also, a move-in ready home already has some major appliances, making it easier for a new owner. Some move-in ready homes have all the furniture some don’t. The key is that the house is livable without having to do any major renovation projects.
Pro – It saves time
The first pro of moving ready home is that it saves you a lot of time. When you first move into a home that is not fully ready yet, there are so many things you need to do. There are all kinds of renovations and upgrades you might need depending on the state of your new home. You might have to do big projects like fixing the plumbing system or, in some cases, something smaller, like painting the walls. Whatever it is, it will take extra time and a lot of effort, and you’ll have to make many decisions. That can be frustrating, especially if you are in a situation where you want to move into your new home as quickly as possible. When your home is move-in ready, you won’t have to deal with any of that, and the whole process will be less stressful.
Pro – Moving in will be easier
Moving, especially long-distance, can be very complicated. And when your home is not entirely ready for moving in, it complicates the situation even more. For example, moving and hiring moving services in Canada at first glance is quite simple. You just hire a team to handle any task you find challenging to do yourself, packing, transporting, etc. But what happens when your home is not move-in ready? Like when your living room still needs to be remodeled.
The moving company can help transport your stuff, but where will you put your living room furniture? And tv, books, curtains, etc.? You can’t put them in your living room because it’s not done, so you will have to rent storage, where you will keep your things until your home is fully ready. Not only does this complicate everything, but it also costs extra money. With a move-in ready home, this process is much simpler and quicker.
Con – It limits you creatively
We have come to the first con of move-in ready homes. When you purchase a move-in ready home, you lose some of the creative control over the design and layout of your home. These homes are usually almost finished, so there isn’t much to do once a new owner buys it. For some, this is a plus, but for those who would like their home to be a bit more personalized, this can be seen as a con. You won’t be able to make any significant changes to the home’s layout as that is all already done and settled.
However, you can decorate how you like and make minor upgrades and changes. But as we said previously, for some, this is a con. For some, it’s a pro. It all depends on your kind of person, how vital home design is to you, and what you are looking for in a home.
Con- It is more expensive
A home that is almost finished does not come cheap. It might save you time and effort, but it will also cost you more money than a fixer-upper would. Move-in ready homes are not very budget-friendly, so you must think carefully before committing to a purchase like this. It will all depend on what is more important to you, saving money or being able to move in right away in a fully ready home. If you really want to buy a move-in ready home but don’t have the funds yet, it’s better to wait until you can afford it than to make a reckless financial decision now.
In conclusion
We have listed some significant pros and cons of move-in-ready homes for you. But as you can see, it all depends on the person. What is a con for some might be a pro for others? That is why there isn’t one general rule regarding these types of homes. We can’t tell you whether this is the right decision for you and your family. Buying a home needs to be done carefully and with a lot of thought. You should research, find all the necessary information about move-in ready homes, and then make a well-informed decision.
