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If you didn’t know it by now, we are buying our first home and we are so excited about it! There is so much to do and plan for, but we are ready for it and cannot wait for everything that gets thrown our way. I’ve received so many tips and advice from people, so I just wanted to share a few pieces of advice that I’ve gathered along the way. Here are a few things to do as a first-time home owner:
Save For Unexpected Expenses
This is a huge one and it is very, very important. You need to make sure that in addition to having enough money for closing costs and everything else that comes with home ownership, that you also have enough saved in the bank for any unexpected expenses. My friend who bought her first home about three years ago did not plan for unexpected expenses to arise so soon after she purchased her home with her husband, so when she needed to spend a pretty penny on a few major plumbing issues, it was a huge stressor for them. This is why you definitely need to pre-plan and make sure that you are planning for the worst possible scenario.
A lot of new buyers also choose to get a home warranty, which is a great idea, but it can sometimes be hard to get them to cover the costs of certain items and/or do the fixes in a timely manner, so while it is a good idea to get a home warranty, do not bank on it to cover you completely. Pro tip: try to get the previous owner of the home to throw in the warranty so that you do not even have to pay for it yourself!
Get A Deep Cleaning
This is your first home and you want it to be perfect. For me, at least, that starts with a clean canvas. While I think that I am a great cleaner myself, cleaning other people’s showers and toilets is just not my favorite thing to do. Because of this, if you are able to hire a cleaning crew to deep clean your new home before you move in, do it. Unfortunately, when people move out of a home, most are not the type who willingly offer to clean it, or hire a cleaning crew to deep clean it for you. Even if they do, you will want to hire your own cleaning crew to give it a really good deep clean, just so you know that there are not any cobwebs in the nooks and crannies of the home. When you hire that crew, see if they can come on closing day, or the first full day that you own the home. That way, they are there before any of your furniture is moved in. If they cannot, schedule them to arrive the morning of the move, before the movers drop off all of your furniture and boxes.
Plan Room By Room
When it comes to purchasing new furniture for your home, or even placing your old furniture in your home, plan it out room by room. First of all, create a vision for your home and go from there. Maybe this is a color scheme to you, a “look,” or something completely different. Then, map out your home room by room, taking measurements before you purchase items. When you are finally ready to purchase furniture, head to a store that has a wide selection of options, such as Sweet Home Stores, located in Clifton, NJ. They have become a popular store for customers who are looking for quality selections at affordable prices. The staff at Sweet Home Stores is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all things related to the rug and furniture business and they are able to effectively help their customers find what they are looking for. Sweet Home Stores runs multiple promotions very frequently, in addition to having many clearance and deal offers and also offers special financing!
Enjoy Your Home!
Last but not least, one of the first things that you need to do as a first-time home owner is just truly enjoy your home! You are only a first-time home owner once in your life and it really is such an exciting time and experience. Once you get settled in, take advantage of your home, your neighborhood, and mingle with the new neighbors. This is so exciting for you and you truly deserve the happiness that is coming your way!
