CottageHore Posted November 20 Posted November 20 Homeowners of ATRL, after years of saving the majority of my paychecks for a house, I finally am about to close on my first home. What are some things I should be aware of as I move in and start living in my first home, specifically as a single person? Are there any must haves I should be purchasing or things I should be doing? For context, the house is 1600 sq ft and I got it for $220k. It's a classic looking home from the 1900s and gives Gilmore Girls vibes. I'm only gonna have a couple thousand leftover after closing and will continue to save up as much as I can until my first mortgage payment is due on Feb 1st. 8 1
Reginald Posted November 20 Posted November 20 Congrats Make sure to turn your window blinds at sunset, so the neighbors won't see you walking around with your junk out Also, have money set aside for potential repairs 1
Bubble Tea Posted November 20 Posted November 20 Congrats legend. I own an apartment in what sounds to be an entirely different market (my apartment cost 3x what your house cost in New Zealand dollars) so hard to know what advice is applicable. I guess just make sure you have money tucked away for unexpected repairs and issues? Cause things DO happen. YouTube is your friend for cost-effective DIY too. 1
Rico Shameless v2 Posted November 21 Posted November 21 Congratulations As mentioned already and most obvious, keep saving at the same rate if you can for unexpected repairs and normal upkeep. Then do what you can if that becomes too much. One thing about owning a home people seem to overlook is there's no maintenance or lawn care if you don't hire them. Hopefully you already did all the necessary inspections before closing, so there's no surprise mold or leaks, things of that nature. Keep money aside throughout the year for property taxes if they aren't rolled into your monthly. Anything else will be up to you. Fencing for privacy, home security, necessary safeguards (smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarm if you are operating gas), little projects to make it home etc. 1
Hollywood. Posted November 21 Posted November 21 Make sure you have money saved away for potential repairs. They sneak up on you when you least expect it. Also if you live in an area that gets colder weather (winter) use the sunlight during the daytime to heat your home, and immediately close the blinds at night to keep the heat in. And reverse in the summer, block out windows during the daylight in the summer, and then have them open at night to keep it cooler. (Unless you have a fancy heating / air conditioning unit). 1
BlondGuts Posted November 21 Posted November 21 Be prepared for a bunch of junk mail for the first three months since home closing data is usually public
BlondGuts Posted November 21 Posted November 21 (edited) Also do not get a home warranty. They are glorified scams. Just save that extra money monthly for unexpected repairs because things can and will happen inevitably. And it's never one thing. If you need a new fridge best believe the dryer will go out that same week lbvs Edited November 21 by BlondGuts
popmusicisdead Posted November 21 Posted November 21 i read "first time homewrecker" and broke my heels running in here 4
Wicked Posted November 21 Posted November 21 Get 'How Your House Works' book. Also, create a manageable daily cleaning schedule. Because otherwise you gonna be living in dust and dirt cause maintaining a clean home is harder than an apartment. And for the love of everything, do not get carpet in the living room. If it's there, remove it. Keep carpet to bedrooms otherwise the aforementioned cleaning will drain you.
Homebrand Posted November 21 Posted November 21 Im not too sure about the layout of your house, but you'll likely spend 95% of your time in the living area (my house is open living / kitchen area) so whatever furniture you buy, make sure that you buy good furniture and decor for that area since you'll spend majority of your time there (honestly do not even bother furnishing spare bedrooms / spare bathrooms / study rooms etc, at least not in the first 6 months or just do it cheaply) I invested in a really big & comfy lounge couch, a few statement decor pieces in my living area and a good tv setup with LEDS/speakers, makes such a difference when you have friends over and when you're just enjoying your own space 2
DAP Posted November 21 Posted November 21 If the costs become too great, you can always get your money back through an insurance payout from committing arson. 1
Cannon Posted November 21 Posted November 21 If you are getting home repairs, ask if they take checks and if it would lower the total cost. Some companies add on a fee for using a credit card. 1
CottageHore Posted November 22 Author Posted November 22 14 hours ago, Wicked said: Get 'How Your House Works' book. Also, create a manageable daily cleaning schedule. Because otherwise you gonna be living in dust and dirt cause maintaining a clean home is harder than an apartment. And for the love of everything, do not get carpet in the living room. If it's there, remove it. Keep carpet to bedrooms otherwise the aforementioned cleaning will drain you. There's carpet in the living room and I'll be removing it first thing! 1
Wicked Posted November 22 Posted November 22 8 hours ago, CottageHore said: There's carpet in the living room and I'll be removing it first thing! At best, if you really want something in the LR get a washable rug that you can just shake out and throw in the washing machine, cause carpet maintenance is too expensive for high traffic areas (living room)
Oktober Knight Posted November 22 Posted November 22 Have an emergency fund for whenever repairs happen. As a home owner, things will unexpectedly break such as your heating or plumbing that can be quite expensive. Also, do a VERY thorough deep cleaning before you move anything in (dust, wash the walls, scrub the floors, etc)...take advantage of the house being empty. Bonus points if you have time to paint before moving furniture in as well. Congratulations on your first home!
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