Mika And Brian Kleinschmidt's Tip For Saving On Home Maintenance

As exciting as it is to buy a house, the maintenance costs often leave new homeowners shocked — and scrambling to save money. When coupled with rising housing prices that are only expected to climb higher, according to Reuter, it's clear that homeowners need to cut costs when they can. But maintenance can be a tricky balance. If you skimp on repairs to save money upfront and you might end up paying much more in the long run.

Fortunately, Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt, the hosts of HGTV's "100 Day Dream Home," recently sat down with Realtor to discuss their tips for minimizing home maintenance costs. After working on so many houses, the couple understands which maintenance costs are essential — and which purchases can lead to lower bills. Although some of Mika and Brian's tips require homeowners to spend money, they'll shield you from many of the large-ticket surprise repairs that so many new homeowners underestimate.

According to Mika and Brian, your money-saving strategy should begin as early as the home inspection, according to Realtor. Mika advises checking the air conditioner, heater, plumbing, roof, and other major home components before putting in your offer since these are all high-ticket repairs. You wouldn't want to buy the house (or worse, win it in a bidding war) only to discover that you'll need to shell out another big chunk of cash.

Once you own the house, you shouldn't cheap out on maintenance. Mika and Brian emphasize the importance of small routine maintenance jobs (such as changing air conditioning filters) since ignoring them will lead to big-ticket repairs. Similarly, they advise getting quarterly service for your air conditioner and heater to ensure that everything is working properly (and efficiently).

Although Mika and Brian recommend salvaging existing appliances and furniture whenever possible, they also warn that you should pay attention to how much you're spending on repairs. If a particular unit requires a lot of expensive fixes, it might be cheaper to just replace it.

Finally, if you live somewhere very hot, you might be shocked by your first electric bill of the summer. Air conditioning can be a big-ticket convenience, but you don't have to forego it to save money. Instead, consider getting curtains or blinds for your windows. They'll keep most of the heat out, making it easier (and cheaper) to cool your home.