Getting the chance to buy yourself and your family a new home is not something every person has the luxury of doing. Affording a home of your own is still a very hard thing to do for various reasons, most of which having to do with how difficult it is to meet the certain regulations and requirements of your country and having enough money saved for either a mortgage, a bank loan, or the whole sum.
In any case, it is an exciting time for sure as well as a challenging one since the real work is still ahead of you. Signing the contract and getting the keys is the start of a wonderful life journey during which you will have to go out of your way to care for the home and tend to its needs, treating it like a member of your family for decades. However, for the first few months, it will be enough to do the basic improvements every new home owner should.
In the article before you we will talk about them in greater detail. As we stated, actually getting the home and moving in is only the first step. The next thing you must do is check what needs improving and renovating in order for the house to actually feel like a home. It cannot be one unless the people under its roof are comfortable, safe, and happy. Make sure to read the entire article to learn all there is about home improvements for new owners, and find more information here if you are further interested.
Tour and Inspect Every Single Corner
First and foremost, and something you should have already done before buying the home for that matter, you should have a detailed tour of the house during which you will inspect and detail everything you think needs work. This could be serious things like cracks and damaged elements, or just something not appealing enough or to your liking. Only then can you know exactly what needs to happen and from where you should start.
Change the Locks
If you are buying a home that has been lived in for decades, you should think about changing all the locks as soon as you arrive. Any door or window that may have a lock should be replaced because you cannot who has spare keys. Extreme scenarios that could happen are very unlikely, but you will sleep better at night and have your peace if you know that nobody else can come in except the members of your family. The same goes for the front gate, the garage, and any supporting facilities around the house.
Fresh Coat of Paint
This is not required if you like the interior and exterior paint your new home has or if the paint is your favorite thing about it. However, with older homes that have served other families before you, it may be smart to remove the old layers of paint and apply new. This will help with the place actually feeling like your own. Moreover, you will be removing old layers that could be hiding stains or that have absorbed smoke, dirt, and dust.
Invest in Long Term Solutions
Things that require most work and that are most expensive include the foundations, walls, beams, the roof, and other elements that when done properly last for decades without issues. Wooden elements around the doors and windows should be checked for damage and replaced. If any of these are lacking or if you think that more could be done to make the whole place better and more pleasant, invest in them without a second thought. Once you do it you will be set for life. Remodeling and renovating the kitchen and the bathroom is something that occurs rarely since there is no need for frequency. In addition, think about what pays off the most and what will give you most bang for the buck.
Deep Clean
Cleaning the entire home is prevalent before you officially move in. It would be best if you hire a professional cleaning service to do everything such as bg011cleaningservices.com, from the toilets and the kitchen to the attic, basement, and all the scrubbing and disinfecting. Moving into a home that has practically been reset for you and your loved ones is the real deal and it cannot be compared with having to do it on your own. What is more, bringing in your stuff and new things is easier and better if you do it with a fresh and clean home.
Call in the Help
Speaking of the cleaners and contractors, you should think about calling a plumber and an electrician to check the pipes and the installations on your new property. A routine check just to make sure will hardly hurt the wallet, but it will give you a lot of insight in return. Changing some of the sockets or wires and having your pipes, sinks, and taps cared for is a good idea as it will give you a more pleasant everyday life and remove potentially dangerous issues waiting to happen. Think about having other repairmen and handymen drop by to check other thinks if you feel like you need them, like cable guys, carpenters, gardeners, or construction workers.
Plant Some Shade Trees
You will want your home to be energy efficient and your family to have as much nature around the home to enjoy as possible. Therefore, make sure to strategically plant some trees that will give you shade in a decade or so once they are fully grown. This will increase the property value of your home and give you lower electricity and heating bills both in summer and winter. Trees are great for keeping away unwanted light, sunlight and heat, and winds away from your rooms.
Miscellaneous
Before we finish things off, a few final tips. Change all the batteries in smoke detectors and remote controls. You do not want problems because of empty batteries in important devices. Replace the filters in the AC and any other appliance of system that deals with air and ventilation. You cannot know how long they have been operating. Remove the branches and leaves form the gutters and around the downspouts and eavesthroughs.
Additional resources:
-Consider your home financing options with The Home Loan Expert.
