One of the perks of buying a new home for sale in a development is that the builders will often finish the inside of the home with appliances. However, that also increases the cost of the home, and while the cost of the appliances might not be much in the scheme of things, they can hurt if your budget is tight. When looking at all of the upgrades and benefits a home builder is willing to give you, inspect them closely to be sure you know what you'd be getting.

You Want Appliances, Just Not Those Appliances

One issue is that the appliances provided by the builder might not be the ones you want. For example, if the builder offers to include a refrigerator, but then you find that the particular style is one that doesn't work for you (say, one that has a pull-out freezer drawer at the bottom, and you have shoulder problems that make those difficult to use), that's wasted money and effort. You'd end up changing the refrigerator anyway.

Always see what appliance packages are available to you and which specific appliances the builder is willing to put in. While it always helps to have a refrigerator and stove already installed at the very least, you're better off not taking the appliance option if it isn't going to satisfy your needs. However, if the appliances look like ones you'd like, then you can consider the cost.

The Fine Print

Another issue is that sometimes what you see isn't the final product. If you've looked through a model house that is staged to look occupied, you'll see appliances. But those might not be the ones the builder would actually use in a regular home in the development. Look through any paperwork related to the appliances and verify that you know exactly what you'll get if you opt to have the builder add the appliances.

That Added Cost

After spending all this money on a house, the cost for the appliances is going to look pretty small. But again, if you are on a tight budget, and you know you can bring in different models of appliances for a cheaper price, you may be better off taking care of the appliances on your own. But also keep in mind that the appliance upgrades can often be combined with your mortgage, letting you stretch those payments out over the life of the loan. If the builder's appliances are good quality and styles you'll use, and your payments don't go up that much with the cost rolled into the mortgage, then having the builder add appliances could work out well.

See what's available; sometimes there are different levels of appliance upgrades that you can get. Also talk to your real estate agent about ways to make the cost easier to handle or how warranties are handled.