Moving into a new home is exciting, but it can be intimidating if this is your first time owning a house. You have total freedom over what to do with your living spaces and also the responsibility of taking care of the home. Here are some of our best tips for new homeowners so that you’ll enjoy your investment for years to come.
Make a List of Repairs and Improvements from Your Home Inspection Report
After the home inspection, your inspector gave you a report with a list of suggested repairs. While some of these might have been taken care of by the seller before the property passed into your hands, there are minor things that will still be your responsibility. Make a plan regarding that list of repairs and how you will budget for them.
Meet Your Neighbors
It might seem old-fashioned, but meeting your neighbors is a great way to start off on the right foot in your new neighborhood and get valuable information. Your neighbors can answer questions that you might have about anything from trash pick-up to how often they lose power during severe weather.
Tips for New Homeowners: Organize Your Warranties and Manuals
Another one of the most important tips for new homeowners is staying organized. When you move into your new home, you will receive many different manuals, warranties, and other important documents. You might not look at many of these again, but you will need to find them if something goes wrong. Keep a binder with the documents and store it in a fireproof safe or another location.
Change the Locks
You never know who has keys to your new home. Even if the homeowners gave you their only copies of the keys, former babysitters or pet-sitters might still have a copy. A quick visit to the hardware store will equip you with the tools and materials to change the locks on your new home.
Tips for New Homeowners: Set Aside Funds to Cover Repairs and Upgrades
Money can be tight when you’re moving into a new home, so having an emergency fund set aside to cover problems that arise is important. Make sure that you are financially prepared to handle unexpected issues that might occur with the plumbing or furnace in the first few months of living in your new space.
Arrow Home Inspections provides inspection services to customers in the Charlotte Metro Area. Contact us to request an appointment.