Hidden Costs

A brew ha-ha almost broke out on the plane during a recent trip to Seattle. The person in front of me in the window seat demanded to switch to another window seat. As I couldn’t help but eavesdrop, the man said he purchased his window seat but didn’t actually have a window. Instead, I got two windows, and he got none. The flight attendant said the flight was full and that a window seat ticket didn’t exactly mean you would get a window—just the position.

I was doomscrolling the day before and told the flight attendant this had happened to Redd Foxx on an episode of Sanford & Son. While this didn’t exactly help matters, it did give me thoughts about items real estate agents market poorly—and buyers often miss to their chagrin.

Since I don’t want you to experience the same frustration as the angry windowless passenger, here’s a checklist of the hidden items that buyers often overlook. A few weeks back I wrote about what items in a house give you a positive ROI and what don’t. Today, I’ll turn that around. See, if you only purchase based on the seller’s “big ROI” items, you may end up coming out of pocket with lots of moolah later on.

Here is a handy checklist of 19 items to make sure the little things that add up were added in. Much of this runs into the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

19 Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

Closets
Builders typically don’t provide expensive built-ins—and often none at all. This is the perfect example of not seeing a hidden cost in broad daylight. Check out all the bedrooms, pantry, storage closets. After the fact closet adds on’s are necessary and run in the tens of thousands. If you are purchasing a home and the house has lousy built-ins, reserve money for a big after bill.
Window Treatments
Another item builders typically leave out. Plantation shutters and other treatments can cost more than closets.
Gas Line for Outside
An outside gas line for a grill. I bought my home which was a model. I never thought of checking out if there was a gas line when I purchased it in 2000. Getting propane delivered gets old when you do have gas. $1200-1800 is an expensive fix to that problem.
Outlets
Since you’re not always thinking about where you’ll plug in phones or lamps during a showing, outlets are easy to miss. Check around to see where they are.
Bidets
Did they upgrade the toilets? Fancy bidets with installation are becoming more standard in the U.S.
Garage
Florida’s version of a basement—and one most buyers don’t pay much attention to. A standard two-car garage, fixed up with flooring and cabinet storage, runs $15,000–$25,000.
Attic Space
Florida’s “upstairs basement.” Go up and check it out. Is there proper flooring and easy access? Lots of storage is gold in Florida.
Insulation
Not cheap—and it directly affects your electric bills.
Generator
Do they have one? Generators start around $20,000.
EV Chargers
If you own an EV and the house doesn’t have an outlet, installing one will cost you. They aren’t wildly expensive, but you’ll need to make sure the home’s electrical system has the capacity.
AC
Not only check to see the age and warranty but UV light can be installed inside the HVAC to kill mold. In South Florida this is almost a necessary cost and one to check out when purchasing a home.
Driveway Drainage
Is there drainage at the bottom of the driveway? Buyers often miss this during dry season, only to find out during the first downpour that water pools up.
Gutters
Don’t roll a gutter ball—many homes surprisingly don’t have them. Most homes have them, but you’d be surprised at how many don’t. I’m aware of one home right now having grading problems and it might have something to do with both neighbors on the sides not having gutters. That has caused lots of water runoff on the sides of his home.
Exposure
What does the front and back of the house feel like in the morning and late afternoon? Will you need awnings, window treatments, or landscaping to block the hot Florida sun?
Noise
Is there a train nearby? Busy road noise? If nearby, see the house at those times to make sure it’s suitable. Noise buffers or heavy impact glass are solutions.
Headlights
Is the house positioned so headlights shine straight into the main living areas? If so, you’ll need to budget for solutions to block that light.
Night Lighting
Often forgotten, but exterior lighting can be another add-on expense if you want your home to look pretty at night.
Water Filtration
Does the home have one? If so, is the refrigerator connected to the sink system?
Kitchen Cabinets
Pull-outs and easy-access drawers are small details buyers often miss—but you’ll pay to upgrade them later.

If I left any out, do not hide and email me any extra costs you never thought about. I’ll make sure to share at a later writing. As for our passenger friend on the plane…. he gave up the good fight and decided to stay on the flight. Not only did he sleep like a baby the whole flight, but he didn’t need to look out the window once. I guess not having all the light was a hidden benefit!