We have officially been homeowners for over a year! The past year has been extremely hectic, rewarding, and busy. There is so much we have learned and with every day and every project we are learning something new. When you’re a first time owner, there are so many things on your to-do list – regardless of if your home is move-in ready.
Today I wanted to share 5 tips for new homeowners. I hope this helps you out if you’re in a similar place in life!
1. Get Instant Life Insurance
Life insurance isn’t typically something people consider when it comes to buying a home. While homeowners insurance is a routine process, life insurance isn’t. Regardless of your age, it is so important to invest in a life insurance policy. This makes sure your family and home are taken care of if something were to happen to you. There are a lot of options out there for life insurance, but an instant life insurance option, like Fabric by Gerber Life, is easy and straightforward. Plus, it can be much more affordable than many may realize! It is a small investment that can make a big impact.
2. Buy the Extra Warranty
When buying things like large appliances, you may not want to work buying the warranty into your budget, but I highly recommend doing so! While most appliances will have a free limited warranty for the first year or so, it is important to have coverage that goes beyond that. We actually just had to get our dryer replaced and almost had to access our purchased warranty. Thankfully, the manufacturer’s warranty covered the new one – but if it hadn’t and we did not have a separate warranty plan, we would’ve been out almost $1,000. And typically if you utilize the manufacturer’s warranty, the purchased warranty can be moved to the new appliance – so it is a win-win! After our experience, we can’t recommend GE appliances enough as they were extremely kind and easy to work with.
3. Set Alarms for Important Dates
There is so much to remember when being a homeowner. Change the air filter, get the gutters cleaned, replace the water filter – the list goes on and on! We have been setting calendar dates in our phone so we know exactly when those items need done so we can keep up a consistent schedule. A great idea for filters and such is to set up the items on a subscription via Amazon, and when you receive it you know it is time to switch it out!
4. Protect Your Home
One thing that was very confusing when becoming a homeowner was deciding on a security system. There are so many options out there, all for a wide array of pricing. And it is hard to know what the best option is for you and your family! We ended up using Cove and we love it so far. It’s super customizable and affordable – it allowed us to build the perfect system for us and allows us to add on as needed. Also a PSA: if you’re getting a security system for your home, some areas may require an alarm system permit that you need to file. I didn’t even know this was a thing (so I wanted to share), so be sure to check your township regulations!
5. Take Time to Enjoy
There is a lot to do when buying a home – whether it is furnishing, decorating, doing DIYs, and so much more. It can be very overwhelming and take some time. My biggest tip is to take your time and carve out some time to just enjoy! Even if everything on the to-do list isn’t completed, allows yourself breaks as needed. Not everything needs to be done right away, and it’s okay to take your time.
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I hope this post was informative and helpful for any other new homeowners or soon-to-be homeowners! Feel free to share this post as well with those who may find it helpful in your life.
Cheers!
xoxo
Jayme
Disclaimer: This is a paid post in collaboration with Responsival.
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