After searching for days on end, you have finally found a home that you have fallen in love with. You have had your fair share of dealing with the bank, the realtors, insurance agents, lawyers, and home inspectors. You have also dealt with the voluminous paperwork and finally signed on the dotted lines. Congratulations! You are now a homeowner. Owning a home is one of the dreams most people harbour, be proud that you have finally realized it.
However, in the midst of the excitement, you need to remember that there is still a lot to do. The first year can be overwhelming especially being your first home. But, not to worry. Here are some tips on how to survive your first year as a new homeowner.
Make sure everything is covered
Before jumping in the excitement of starting a new life, it is good to make sure that you have completed all the legal documents necessary. It proves effective to also be aware of all the things that changed in the house before you started living in it. You might even have simple questions regarding the house that you will need for future reference, therefore it is good to stay in contact with a property management company that will have all the answers for you.
Build good relationships with the neighbours
No man is an island, so you can’t certainly survive without people around you. While technology is there to show you the nearby coffee shop, you can’t eliminate the need to have a good relationship with your neighbours. Besides, you never can tell when you will need them to help you out when you are out of town or have an emergency. In addition, with humans being social beings, you need people you can interact with to make living in the neighbourhood enjoyable.
Renovate on a budget
After moving in, you will realize things that you need to change around the home. It is also important to expect some emergencies such as leaks and the like. That is why it is important to be prepared with an emergency fund for such cases. As you are quoting the budget for buying the home, including about 5% of the cost for annual maintenance.
When it comes to renovations, it is important that you stick to the budget. Most homeowners end up using way more than they expected in the first year of owning a home. The danger is that you can easily land into more debt if you do things this way. Take your time to really know your home. This way, you will be able to prioritize renovation projects to get the most important ones done first.
Spruce up the indoors
Since you aren’t fully familiar with the neighbourhood, you probably will spend most of the time indoors for the better part of your first year there. If you are to have a good time at home, you need to spruce up things around the home to turn it into a place that you will love.
You can paint the walls in your favourite colour, hang artworks, and add pieces that match your personality. Add some plants to bring your space into life and improve aesthetics. If your home doesn’t allow in enough light, invest in LED grow lights to provide them with their light requirements.
Have contacts for a reliable handyman
Being a new neighbourhood, it can be confusing where to start from if you have a leak in your sink, need a light fixed or the locks have jammed among other various tasks around the home. The best way to save yourself from this is to have the contacts of a reliable handyman before you experience such things. Ensure that you shop around for someone who will be a call away when such things happen.
Triple check your billing address
When it comes to electricity, water, gas, and sewer, you want the utility bills to read your name. It is important that you remember to call the providers and have that changed. However, the most important thing is to ensure that you have triple checked your billing address. It can be easy to miss a digit since you are not yet familiar with it. Of course, this could mean bills not reaching you and risking the services being cut off. Stock some tools and equipment
If you are privileged to have a lawn and an outdoor garden, you need to have your equipment and tools for lawn care and gardening. Invest in a lawnmower, shovel, rake, pruning tools, and gardening tools. It is also good to source a professional who can help you with landscaping.
Conclusion
Moving to a new home comes with a lot of expenses. You can limit your expenditure by doing some DIY projects on your own. Don’t forget to build good relationships with your neighbours as they can be a good source of reference on where to get reliable services affordably.
