Did you know that a general rule of thumb is that home maintenance will run you about $1per square foot per year? This means that most local homeowners will need $1,000 – $2,000 per year set aside for maintenance needs, planned or otherwise.
Here’s a sobering stat. 61% of Americans don’t have enough cash on hand to handle a $1,000 emergency expense* – like an unexpected home repair need. So where does a homeowner, around or below the poverty line, go when she has an urgent repair need and already can’t cover necessities like food, utilities and medication? The answer for too many low-income families is nowhere.
Widows, seniors, single mothers and people with disabilities often are forced to let a critical home repair go unaddressed, despite the safety hazards this creates and deterioration to the home occurring. That’s why our clients call HRM.
* – Story found at https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/financial-security-0118/