If you are planning updates to your Newton home, do the disruptive ones before you move in whenever you can. Buyers who renovate while living in the house almost universally say the same thing afterward: they wish they had done it first, because renovating around your own life is a headache.
Here is the trade-off: convenience versus cost and timing. Renovating before move-in means an empty house, faster work, and no living in a construction zone, but it may mean a short-term rental or a delayed move and paying for both at once. Renovating after means you are in the home right away, but floors, paint, and kitchens are far more disruptive with furniture and daily life in the way. Neither is free. You are choosing which cost to pay.
What I typically see in Newton is that the big three, flooring, paint, and anything touching the kitchen or a main bathroom, are dramatically easier before you unpack. Smaller cosmetic updates can wait comfortably. As one example, refinishing floors in an empty house might take a few days, while doing it after you move in means shuffling furniture room to room for a week and living around the dust.
The practical move is to decide your must-do-first list during your inspection window, so you can line up quotes and schedule work for the gap between closing and move-in.
Planning your first home and the work that comes with it? My Home Search Game Plan helps you think through timing before you are under contract.
Related Resources: how much cash to keep after buying and how much to budget for repairs.
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Written by Jason Huffey, REALTOR with RE/MAX Revolution (License S73436000), serving Newton and the greater Des Moines metro. Call or text (515) 606-1227. The Best Is Yet To Come.
