Moving into a new home is a huge deal, especially when it’s under your name. Along with the pride, there also comes great responsibility in owning your home. Buying a home is a smart investment that also comes with a few disadvantages. Here we have some tips for new homeowners to know before settling.
1. Emergency house funds
One of the most important homeowners’ tips is to start emergency savings. You cannot go to a landlord/landlady after every or any damage that happens to the house since you are the homeowner now. There is no place where you can get a budget for all the damages that might happen to your home, so it is safer to be prepared than be sorry later. Keep aside some money and keep collecting every penny you can for your home. This will help you more and take a little stress out from a usually stressful situation.
2. Water Valve Importance
This tip might seem a little bizarre but it is essential nonetheless. For instance, if the pipe of your sink or washroom busts or you have a leaky faucet or tap, and you don’t know how to turn off your water valve, you will be in trouble. It is vital to know where your water valve is located as soon as you move and how to turn it off. Along with this, you should also know how to shut off your power and gas for emergencies.
3. Choose colors wisely
Most of the time people choose the color of their house depending on what they feel at the time. It is vital to consider choosing such colors for your home that won’t go out of style. Neutral colors like shades of gray, beige, or white work perfectly to give your house a modern and chic look. And they are surely the colors which will never go out of style, making you regret choosing them. Designing a light and bright-colored home is always fun and there are ample ways to go about it.
4. Know about your insurance
It is vital to know every detail of your insurance policy as homeowners. Insurance usually covers any form of losses and damages done to your property through natural or man-made accidents. The liability of the insurance will cover the loss or damage of personal assets, interior and exterior damage, and so on. But make certain that you check every line of your policy and ask every question possible about coverage, as almost all insurance policies have things which cost extra to cover or are not covered under that specific policy.
5. Know about the electric circuits
Much like a water valve, electric circuits are something people tend to forget. Electrical overload is not an uncommon factor in a house. A better understanding of how electrical circuits of your home works will always come in handy if you are a homeowner. When you get a chance, you should go for in-depth knowledge of how the electric circuit of your house works. This way you can make any necessary improvements to make your home more sustainable.
6. Keep a flashlight in handy
Picture this: There is a city-wide power cut and for some reason, your emergency power (inverter) is not working; what will you do? Even though you have your phone with you, there might be a chance it is discharged or its flashlight is not working, or even that you don’t know where you have kept it.
This is the reason that your cell phone is not a reliable source of emergency light. You should keep a flashlight or an emergency light in an approachable corner of the house for such days. To make this emergency easier for you, there is Glow-in-the-dark tape available in the market which you can either wrap around the flashlight or near it. The tape glows for almost 8 hours after the exposure to light which will anytime come in handy.
7. Identify Potential Issues Beforehand
To maintain your home and to live a stress-free and low-maintenance life in your new home, it is crucial to select minor problems before they become huge issues. Take your time after purchasing your home to inspect and learn about common and missed out minor issues, from a leaky pipe in your walls to a hole in the wall, and make time to fix them before they go out of hand. This will save you a lot of money and time, making your life a little easier.
8. Know your Neighbors
Having a bad neighbor can seriously put a strain on your living situation. Knowing your neighbors always is an advantage. After moving in, work towards introducing yourself to the neighbor and inspect them subtly to know whom to avoid and whom to make close friends with. Similarly, make sure that you are a good neighbor because you might never know when you’ll need them and vice versa.
9. Liquid Ant Bait
Squishing ants is never the solution. To remove the ants (even the ones you don’t see because trust us, there are) you need to work through a process. Place liquid ant bait stations in the areas where the ants are present and even in the areas that might contain ants. This way the ant will be attracted towards it and share the bait with the ants that you might not even see. This will result in a longer solution in eradicating the ants rather than removing only a percentage just by squishing
Conclusion
You don’t need to call a handyman every time something goes wrong in your house. Knowing the basics of maintaining a house, however mundane that might sound, will always be beneficial for you and your property. We hope that our tips will help you to have a hassle-free move. All the best and congratulations!
For more posts on what you need to know being a new homeowner.
New Homeowners: Essential Home Safety Checklist
Lawn Care Tips for New Homeowners
6 Vital Homeowner Maintenance Tips to Prevent Costly Damage and Losses
