Home ownership is one of the most amazing and frustrating feelings in the world. We read, watch videos, talk to other homeowners, and feel like we’re on top of the world by the time we’re handed the keys. What we aren’t told is that our new home doesn’t come with a user manual or a pre-planned schedule for maintenance and such. So consider today’s blog post a survival guide of sorts for your new home.
No More Landlords!
You may now paint the walls whatever color you want them, hang artwork until your heart is content, and fix things on your own when they break. That’s right. Your home, your problem, and your bills – this leads us to the first thing you should do after we give you the keys to your new home; prepare for broken things. Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare for broken things:
- Find the contact information for a local plumber with a great reputation and who responds quickly to emergency calls.
- Find the contact information for a local electrician with the same credentials.
- Find a local handyman company that can help with drywall problems, concrete, tile, and other miscellaneous issues that will crop up over time.
Keep those numbers on a note on the refrigerator or in your smartphone so you have them readily available. Your home and everything in it will settle a lot during the first year, and things happen. The more prepared you are, the better you will handle each issue as it occurs.
Build Good Habits
Your home requires regular maintenance in order to perform like the well oiled machine it is. Inspect it every couple of months from top to bottom so you’re familiar with every change it goes through as it settles. Pay close attention to the following:
- Pest Infestations
- Cracks in Drywall, Tile, or Other Solid Areas
- The Heat Pump Filter – Change it every few months as needed
- Door and Window Trim and Weather Stripping
- All Appliances – Water Heater, Refrigerator, Stove, Washer and Dryer, etc… Make sure all are clean and running properly.
- Recordkeeping – Keep track of all home improvement or maintenance costs so you can financially prepare year after year.
Future Preparations
Insurance: No one really wants to consider what happens when disaster strikes, but homeowners have to take this into consideration. Albuquerque is in a very calm, low risk area for major natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Discuss your insurance policy in great detail with your homeowner’s insurance provider to make sure you’re covered for anything that may happen.
Financial: Put aside at least $2,000 and let it sit in a savings account. You never know when something will happen and you have to replace the refrigerator, range, or other large appliance. Don’t let yourself mistakenly believe that all of your appliances are safe simply because they’re new. New appliances can short out or simply stop working as easily as older appliances.
Improvement: Start a list of home improvement ideas that come to mind during your first year. Consider implementing them any time you feel the need for change in your new home.
Your First Year
That first year is an incredible learning experience for most homeowners. We hope this post has helped put a few things into perspective and given you a few homeowner tips to help you with potential problems. Make sure to call us if we built your home and you need our assistance with repairs along the way. We can probably even put you in touch with other professionals such as plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians that we trust and recommend as you need them.