Buyers: Don’t Forget to Do These 7 Things When Purchasing a Home
05/23/18 • -1 min
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If you’re a new homeowner, here are seven tasks you need to take up to keep your homeownership experience as stress-free as possible:
1. Save for unexpected problems. You can’t stop your dishwasher from breaking, but you can set aside the funds it will take to repair those kinds of items. Here in California, I recommend saving 1% to 3% of your home’s purchase value. For example, if you bought a $400,000 home, save about $4,000 a year to account for unexpected problems.
2. Form an inspection habit. You don’t want to wait until you have a big issue like a rodent infestation or mold growth. An inspection habit can be the difference between a simple fix and an unaffordable disaster. Take the time to properly inspect your property and check areas like your attic or roof at least once a year. If you’d rather have a certified home inspector give your home an annual inspection, give us a call so we can refer you to the best inspectors in the business.
3. Buy a bunch of furnace filters. Your furnace’s filters have to be replaced quite often. By changing them regularly, you can not only save money by making your furnace last longer, but you can also improve your health. Remembering to buy new filters at the hardware store isn’t always easy, so buy in bulk. The exact number you need will depend on your furnace. First though, take a look at your furnace and make sure you know what size filter it needs. This tip also really helps if you have allergies. In Solano County, we’re known for having some of the worst hay fever in the entire country.
4. Get to know your appliances. Just like cars and TVs, your appliances have different life expectancies. Furnaces usually last 15 to 20 years, while water heaters tend to reach the end of their lifespan at about 10 years. Find out how old your home’s appliances are when you move in and plan for their replacement. Another useful tip we recommend is to get a home warranty when you purchase your home and renew it each year. Doing this can really cut down on the replacement costs because they cover all the major systems and appliances.
5. Take advantage of tax credits. Did you know you can receive tax credits for installing solar panels or purchasing energy star appliances. If you’re purchasing a maintenance-deferred home, there are also energy-efficient mortgages you can obtain.
“
”
Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs.
”
6. Start keeping records. Whenever you make some kind of home improvement or repair, write it down. Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs. Keep in mind that appraisers will add the full amount of any repair you make to your home’s overall value if you do it within six months of selling.
7. Beef up your insurance. Take a look at your homeowners insurance policy and look for relevant gaps. This is another situation where professional advice can be really helpful. Two areas to consider are flood and fire protection, which aren’t always included in standard policies. You should also consider bundling your car insurance with your homeowners insurance since you now have a much bigger asset—your home—to lose in the event of...
Looking to sell your Home? Get a FREE home value report
Looking to buy a Home? Search all homes for sale
If you’re a new homeowner, here are seven tasks you need to take up to keep your homeownership experience as stress-free as possible:
1. Save for unexpected problems. You can’t stop your dishwasher from breaking, but you can set aside the funds it will take to repair those kinds of items. Here in California, I recommend saving 1% to 3% of your home’s purchase value. For example, if you bought a $400,000 home, save about $4,000 a year to account for unexpected problems.
2. Form an inspection habit. You don’t want to wait until you have a big issue like a rodent infestation or mold growth. An inspection habit can be the difference between a simple fix and an unaffordable disaster. Take the time to properly inspect your property and check areas like your attic or roof at least once a year. If you’d rather have a certified home inspector give your home an annual inspection, give us a call so we can refer you to the best inspectors in the business.
3. Buy a bunch of furnace filters. Your furnace’s filters have to be replaced quite often. By changing them regularly, you can not only save money by making your furnace last longer, but you can also improve your health. Remembering to buy new filters at the hardware store isn’t always easy, so buy in bulk. The exact number you need will depend on your furnace. First though, take a look at your furnace and make sure you know what size filter it needs. This tip also really helps if you have allergies. In Solano County, we’re known for having some of the worst hay fever in the entire country.
4. Get to know your appliances. Just like cars and TVs, your appliances have different life expectancies. Furnaces usually last 15 to 20 years, while water heaters tend to reach the end of their lifespan at about 10 years. Find out how old your home’s appliances are when you move in and plan for their replacement. Another useful tip we recommend is to get a home warranty when you purchase your home and renew it each year. Doing this can really cut down on the replacement costs because they cover all the major systems and appliances.
5. Take advantage of tax credits. Did you know you can receive tax credits for installing solar panels or purchasing energy star appliances. If you’re purchasing a maintenance-deferred home, there are also energy-efficient mortgages you can obtain.
“
”
Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs.
”
6. Start keeping records. Whenever you make some kind of home improvement or repair, write it down. Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs. Keep in mind that appraisers will add the full amount of any repair you make to your home’s overall value if you do it within six months of selling.
7. Beef up your insurance. Take a look at your homeowners insurance policy and look for relevant gaps. This is another situation where professional advice can be really helpful. Two areas to consider are flood and fire protection, which aren’t always included in standard policies. You should also consider bundling your car insurance with your homeowners insurance since you now have a much bigger asset—your home—to lose in the event of...
Previous Episode
What’s the Secret to Selling for Top Dollar in Northern California?
Today we are joined by Anna from Cozy Chic Design. We use them for all of our clients who have home staging needs, and she is our preferred vendor for this sort of work.
By definition, home staging is a marketing process where a home is shown to its full potential in order to attract the largest number of buyers possible. Stagers focus on the presentation when you sell, and they aim to appeal to your particular audience of home buyers.
A stager's job is to create a welcoming, yet neutral environment. When a home is staged properly, it should show the potential of the home. Staging only takes a small amount of effort, but can yield fantastic results.
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Staged homes are proven to sell for more money in less time.
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It has been proven that homes will sell in less time and for more money when you hire a professional stager. Please don’t hesitate to contact Anna or myself if you want to make your home pop when selling this spring.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Next Episode
To Our Raving Fans: This Year, the Pie’s on Us!
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It’s very exciting for me to be able to give back to our past clients, friends, family, and affiliates—anyone who has helped our business grow and served our clients alongside us.
We really appreciate all of you and want to be able to give back to you in some way. So, once again, we’re holding our annual pie giveaway. That means you get to choose between a delicious apple or pumpkin pie to take home with you.
To claim your free pie, we need you to RSVP at LambRavingFans.com by November 16.
Your apple or pumpkin pie will be available for pick-up at our office Monday, November 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The address is 312 Cernon Street, Suite D, Vacaville, CA.
Again, thank you all so much. We appreciate everyone who has worked with us, sent us referrals, left us a great review, or has done anything to improve our business and grow the number of people we’re able to serve.
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You get to choose between a delicious apple or pumpkin pie to take home with you.
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We’ve never gone backward. We’ve only continued to serve more and more people every year, and it’s really a testament to our amazing friends and family. (And our raving fan club!)
As always, if you have any real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Until next time, have a great one!
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