Top 7 How-Tos for New Homeowners

Getting a new house and moving in is one of the most exciting things there are, especially for the newlyweds and couples that have lived in one apartment/house for decades and are now moving. And it’s not just about the real-estate itself (no matter how gorgeous, spacious, new, etc.), it’s also about new beginnings, new chances, the opportunity to bring a different vibe into your life by following a totally unique creative voice in approaching your decorative impulses and decisions.

For all of you who have just embarked on this wonderful new-homeowners journey, here are a few tips that may possibly change a lot for you and put a few things into perspective. Grab a pen, read on and write the best tips down!

Scout the neighborhood

We have no doubt your Sydney home is absolutely stunning, but the best way to have the full idea of where you’ll be living from this point on and the overall vibe around your place of living is to scout the neighborhood and see what’s going on. Introduce yourself to your new neighbors, talk to them about the dynamics of the place, the schools, day and nightlife, etc. Sydney is a safe city but you can never be too careful, right? Although this is something home buyers usually do prior to actually purchasing the home, it’s never too late to start building relationships and making plans for your future.

Pay attention to important maintenance items

If your new house is a never-before-lived-in piece of real-estate, good for you! However, in most cases, the house/apartment is remodeled and upgraded, and then put on the market for the new owners to bid on and, eventually, purchase/rent. So, if you are in the second group, the smart thing to do is to go around the house (possibly with an expert) and make a checklist of important repairs that need to be taken care of asap. If you have a landlord, call them up with the list of problems you encountered and ask for them to be fixed. The good side of things is that, if you find anything that needs fixing around your home (clogged drain tiles, leakages around the house, bad insulation, etc.), your landlord is the one who should foot the bill. If you own the house, you are the only person to be paying for any repairs so it’s wise you face them head on before things get worse.

Hire a reliable cleaning service

No matter how clean the house is when you move in, it’ll always need a few extra touches – especially if you are living by the beach and all that sand gets dragged into the house. To save yourself the effort of cleaning up the house top to bottom yourself, hire professionals to take care of it. This solution is highly recommended if you live in an apartment building or a strata property. Cleaning a shared space should be a shared decision and the best way for everyone living under the same roof to be happy is to hire a professional building or strata cleaning service. You want people with a solid track record, people you can leave a key to without worrying if they’ll take advantage of it. That way, you’ll enjoy a spotless living space and even have more time for other pursuits.

And qualified contractors

Qualified and honest contractors are half the job done, at least when it comes to home improvement and (unending) repairs. Since your home is not only the place where you live but an ongoing investment too, you need to give it proper attention that you would do anything else you deem valuable. Sure, you can go crazy with painting the walls yourself, but don’t be a daredevil that would try and fix bad wiring themselves or play around with a flooding sewerage system. Find qualified workers, people that have actually been trained to deal with all kinds of issues around the house, and put an end to your construction worries.

Check the insulation in your attic – and install more if needed

Pop your head up the attic and take a look around to see what’s going on, especially if the house is still under construction. Unless your attic already has proper insulation between the beams, make sure you put it up there (hint: read the section above talking about the importance of quality construction workers)! Improper insulation can cost you a lot of money, by the way. How, you ask? Wait till you see your energy bill.

Be careful with your furniture and remodeling impulses

We totally understand your drive to personalize your new home and make it 100% amazing straight away, but what we’d warmly advise all new homeowners is to slow down their horses. With all the expenses you’ve already had (the down payment, small/big repairs, etc.), spending an excessive amount of money on furniture that, when bought on impulse, can turn out to be a waste of investment, isn’t the wisest thing to do.

So, instead of splurging on all the furnishing straight away, try to strategize: start buying piece by piece and let the feeling sink in. You’ll get much more joy in gradually filling your home with wonderful pieces than stuffing it with a number of elements all at once! Plus, a home that’s all furnished straight away resembles a salon more so than a home. Why? Because you didn’t give yourself enough time to bond with each piece separately. Just think about it.

Change the locks and make spare keys

Although we’re absolutely sure your realtor and the previous homeowner didn’t lie when they said no one else has the key to your home, we’d rather be safe than sorry. One of the essential things about moving into a new home is changing the locks and making spare keys you’ll give to your trusted parties (someone in your family, your best friend, the first-door trusted neighbor, etc.). Don’t ever make the mistake of leaving a spare key under the mat, in the flowerpot on the porch or any other place. Also, don’t ever leave the backdoor open, no matter how friendly the neighborhood. Just sayin’.

Well, there you go – some of the best tips to get you started. Hopefully, they were all good advice and we wish you a wonderful life in your new home!