Between paying the deposit, settlement costs and fees for the mortgage, homebuyers aren’t often left with a whole lot of money.
Yet, there are still the movers to pay and, quite possibly, appliances to purchase and minor problems to fix.
So, how will you furnish the new digs – especially if you can’t stand the thought of dragging your mismatched furniture from your rental to your new, yes-indeed-I-own-this home?
Many of our first-time buying clients aim for something between buying new and keeping the old, so decide what’s worth keeping and then list what you’ll need to purchase.
There’s plenty of cheap, new modular furniture in lots of stores. However much of it does not last and indeed some of it is actually cardboard (yes really) covered in veneer or just thick contact.
As an alternative, just for you, we’ve put together a list of places to help you furnish your new home for less.
“Used” means you’ll save money
“Used” doesn’t necessarily mean “nasty.” Especially if you’re a fan of DIY anything, how a piece looks when you first see it may have no resemblance to what it will look like after you work your magic.
If you’re not particularly handy, you may find it more of a challenge to envision a piece of furniture’s possibilities.
Before you go shopping, take a stroll through online sites that deal with DIY furniture makeovers – Pinterest is an ideal place to start. The photos alone will open your eyes to the possibilities, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional.
A good rule of thumb is to focus your attention of the furniture’s style, instead of the torn or dated upholstery. Of course, anything from a smoker’s home or with pet odours should be passed by – some smells are impossible to remove.
For more ideas on how to ‘update’ used or old furniture, check out YouTube videos for easy instructions.
(P.S. Since you’re on a new venture, the same goes if you’re trying to learn some new amazing recipe ideas to try out in your new place.)
Here are 4 tips to get you started shopping for your new home, on the cheap.
1. Estate and garage sales
Both garage and estate sales offer bargains when it comes to purchasing used home goods. Estate sale prices are typically higher than those you’ll find at garage sales, but the merchandise is often more high-end and well maintained.
Check Gumtree, Craigslist as well as search Auction sites for listings of any garage, estate and furniture sales near you.
You may also see signs posted around the neighbourhood.
2. Consignment stores
Consignment stores are the middlemen (or women) between the owner of the goods and the buyer.
Sort of a for-sale-by-owner situation with the benefit of the consignment store owner offering a showroom and taking on the drudgery of the sales process.
Yes, the store owner receives a portion of the sale proceeds, so bargains are often hard to find in these stores.
Do a Google search for consignment stores in your postcode and pay them a visit. You can find the occasional bargain so don’t count them out in your search for “new” furniture and home goods.
3. Thrift & Op shops
Thrift stores and Opportunity shops can be hit or miss on the quality of merchandise offered.
The good news is that prices are quite low at thrift stores such as Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, Savers, Red Cross, RSPCA and more. You’ll find loads on a Google search.
An alternative to thrift shops, especially if you’re looking for something unique to apply your DIY skills to, are salvage yards. Again, Google is your friend when seeking these out.
4. Online shopping
Craigslist and Gumtree as well as Facebook groups like Swap, Buy, Sell etc are great to find inexpensive home furnishings and, the best part is that it’s local.
You’ll find home goods scattered throughout the many categories on these sites but start in the “For Sale” section.
From there, drill down to the “Free” link. You never know what kind of interesting bargains someone is willing to part with for free.
Depending on the site, below the free section, you’ll find a link to the site’s furniture listings.
Dealer merchandise is lumped in with consumer items but you can select whether or not to show those by using the information on the left side of the page.
You can also search by item name so you don’t have to scroll through listings for everything but headboards, or whatever it is you’re looking for.
Other sections to check include the Antique and Household sections, further down the list.
eBay offers furniture and other household goods but, unless the seller is local, the shipping charges may take an otherwise bargain-priced item out of the running.
Thankfully, the site has a way to filter your search by distance from your postcode. For instance, type “headboards” into eBay’s search box and scroll down the page until you find “Item Location.” You can also limit your search to those items with free shipping.
Etsy is a fun site that sells a lot of interesting handmade items, especially home accessories.
Using our headboard example again, type “headboard” into Etsy’s search box. Then, on the left side of the page, under “Refine Your Search,” you’ll find the option to “Shop Location,” and a “Choose a Custom Location” link to refine the search even more.
Sure, we’d all love to furnish our new homes with furniture and accessories from the high-end stores, but new houses frequently zap our reserve funds. Shopping frugally allows you to make big, dramatic changes to your new home’s décor without breaking the bank.
5. Ask everyone you know
That’s it, just ask family, friends, relatives, colleagues and so on. Let them know you are moving to a new home and would appreciate some help.
You may be pleasantly surprised how many people ‘want to be of help’.
There may be loads of other things they can help with as well. Do you need garden tools, pots, plants, cuttings? What about kitchen stuff, gadgets, appliances and more.
There are loads of things people are happy to give away for free or for a small contribution. Offer to pay them anyway or invite them to a meal or BBQ when you are settled.
This is a great way to get back into living in a ‘Community’… You don’t have to do it alone.
By the way, we’d love to see some of the things you do to your new place, not just furniture wise. So, please send us some Before & After pics, we’d love to share them in a future post.
Got questions? Email [email protected]
To find out more, you’re welcome to call 08 83961100 to arrange a chat with people that care.
Alternatively, Book a Free Consultation or Get Your Home Value Here. We’ll Guide You Home!
Feel free to browse the rest of our Blog for more tips tricks and helpful info you can use.
Not sure of some of the terms & meanings used? Check our comprehensive Glossary, Abbreviations and FAQ’s!
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Like most things in life, these are recommendations only. It is not legal advice, it may or may not suit your own circumstances and you may need to make your own additional enquiries.
Regards Eriks & Team Plaza Real Estate
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