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Congratulations, you’ve just brought your first home and you’re looking forward to finally being on the property ladder, building a family, and creating a space you can finally call yours and no one else’s. This is just the beginning of your property adventure, and you cannot wait to make this house a home. However, before you fill the space with photographs, furniture, and toddlers, there are several essential home ownership tips you need to know.
These tips will help you overcome a myriad of common household issues and ensure you can make your new home as perfect as possible. As exciting as owning a house is, it won’t all be plain sailing, so being prepared can help you tackle and solve a range of problems. Here are eight of the most important things to remember.
Get Home Insurance
Your dad has no doubt already told you, but it’s worth repeating: you should get home insurance as soon as you move into your property. This way, you can protect everything immediately, especially if you go on a spending spree to fill the home with everything you need to ensure you’re comfortable.
Checking this list of the best home insurance companies can give you a great idea of what you can expect, the type of coverage, the monthly (or yearly) cost, and the excess. You may be able to get additional coverage through your existing bank, too, so that’s worth checking out as well.
Collect Local Business Numbers
Another essential early tip is to collect local business numbers. The internet has made it easy to find local businesses that can solve common household problems, such as leaks, Pest Control, or boiler issues. But, if you want to kill two birds with one stone, you can head over to your neighbors and ask who they recommend.
This doesn’t just give you a list of the most reliable companies, especially those who may not have tons of information online, but it also gives you the chance to introduce yourself to your neighbors and start to build a (hopefully) positive relationship.
Learn Basic DIY
You don’t want to rely on the local handyman for every little fix, though. As you own the home, you also can’t rely on the landlord to pay for repairs, so learning the fundamentals of fixing problems can save you money and teach you some vital skills that will help you tackle similar - and even more substantial - problems in the future.
You don’t need to become an expert, but knowing how to relieve boiler pressure, fix a leaky faucet, and realign a wonky door can all help you keep your home running smoothly.
Learn the Property’s Ins and Outs
It’s also worth learning where everything is inside the property. You should know how to find the electricity and gas meter and identify the water stop tap in case you need to turn off the water at its source if there is a flood or leak.
The more you know about your home, the easier you’ll overcome a variety of everyday household problems. You don’t want to encounter an issue and not know where to begin. So, take some time to explore the house, including the basement and attic, and write down the location of anything you think could be important.
Establish Good Security Habits
There are plenty of things you can do to protect your home from burglars and ensure your new home remains secure. Getting into these habits early on will save you a lot of stress and means you (and the rest of your family) can go to bed easily each night.
Lock the doors and windows, set up a security system, and cut back any overgrown bushes or trees that could appeal to burglars. If you’re living in an older property, you can also change the locks to add another layer of protection in cars previous owners come by.
Start an Emergency Fund
Even if you think you have everything under control, there’s still a chance that something terrible could occur. These disasters are usually expensive and could cause significant property damage. So, you need to start an emergency fund to help you pay to repair or replace household essentials.
While you have insurance, it can take some time for the claim payout to come through. An emergency fund means you can fix problems immediately and then make a claim. Just 5% or 10% of your monthly earnings can give you a reliable amount to draw from if needed.
Start Collecting Essentials
You’ll quickly realize how much stuff you need to keep your home running. It isn’t just furniture and kitchen appliances, you’ll also need dishes, pots and pans, garden equipment, and much more.
And buying everything brand new can cost more than expected, but you can find household essentials without spending a fortune at stores as well as yard sales or even gifts from friends and family. You don’t always need brand new items, so if anyone has anything going spare after upgrading, get in touch with them as soon as you move in.
Relax
It’s easy for new homeowners to get swept up in everything they need to do in the future, but this means they often forget that they actually have a home that they can call theirs. While you may have plenty to do, whether installing new furniture or fixing potentially severe issues, you can also sit back and relax. Don’t forget to take it all in and come to terms with your new property. In doing so, you’ll feel like you’ve made it, and that’s something that no one can take away from you.
It’s Yours
After many months of waiting for approval and wondering whether the sale will actually go through, you can finally settle down in your new home. This is only the beginning of the next chapter of your life, though. With so much more to look forward to, remembering these tips can help you keep your home running smoothly and ensure you can easily overcome any problems that arise along the way.
