To make the most of your new home and start off right with your home ownership, you will want to be proactive and prepared.
You have found the home you wanted. You’re moved in and unpacked…finally. Now what? To make the most of your new home and start off right with your home ownership, you will want to be proactive and prepared. Here are some suggestions.
Do your own home inspection of sorts. Look for ways you can save money on energy costs, make a list of new tools or supplies you may need to maintain your new home, and catalogue your home’s contents for insurance purposes.
Insulation - Adequate insulation in the attic, water heater blanket, and water pipe insulation are all energy savers.
Heating & Cooling – Installing a programmable thermostat, ceiling fans to keep air circulating, sealing air leaks and replacing air filters will reduce heating and cooling costs.
Plumbing & Electrical – Check for running toilets and leaky sinks, use energy saving surge protectors, and switch to LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs for quick energy savings.
Inside Your Home -
Acquire the tools to fix these common household problems yourself and be prepared for what may come with owning your own home.
Running toilet
Leaky sink
Hole in the wall
Installing and repairing fixtures and fans
Blown breaker fuse - Labeling your breaker switches will come in handy!
Paint and brushes for touchups
Light bulbs and batteries
Flashlights and/or candles and matches
SMOKE ALARMS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Outside Your Home –
Depending on the size of your yard or whether or not you live in an apartment, the supplies needed for maintenance outside your home will greatly differ. Here is a short list of things to consider.
Shade trees and garden plot
Bush and tree trimming implements
Lawn mower and/or weed trimmer
Dusk-to-dawn or motion activated light fixture and bulbs
Shovels, rakes, buckets, hoses, trowels and work gloves will all come in handy frequently
Home Inventory
Cataloging your home’s contents is often an overlooked task, but would come in very handy for making an insurance claim after a disaster. Photographing or videotaping the contents of your home and adding notes about approximate cost and date of purchase will save time in the future if you ever do have to make a claim. These documents can be saved digitally on a cloud storage system online or on a CD or DVD in a fireproof box or safe deposit box.
Resources - http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/owning
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/09/new-homeowner-tips.asp
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20434090,00.html
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/18-things-a-new-homeowner-should-do-immediately-to-save-money/
Inside Your Home -
Outside Your Home –
Home Inventory
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