8 Tips for New Homeowners That No One Tells You

When you first buy your new home, your realtor likely gave you all the standard advice: change the locks, buy a new toilet seat, contact the post office and utilities before settlement. But here are some words of wisdom that you may not have heard that can make adjusting to your surroundings smoother and more pleasant!

• You will get a million letters from vendors trying to convince you to buy “essential” nonessentials for your new home. Some enterprising groups will try to convince you that you need to send in $1k-2k to get a copy of your new home’s public records, title work, deed, etc. after settlement. This is purely an attempt to siphon money out of you - your title company should have provided most of those documents to you at settlement. If they did not, or if you’re unsure, you can always contact your closer or real estate agent to get copies at no added cost.

• Go through your home inspection report and make a list with 3 columns: High Priority, Medium Priority, and Backburner. Sort every “issue” or recommendation made by the inspector into one of the 3 categories, and commit to tackling at least 1 item from each column monthly. This will prevent you from being 10 years into your home ownership with none of your goals met!

  
  

  
  
  
  

• Ask the listing agent if the sellers/previous owners would be willing to write a list of “must-knows” and “secret tips” for you. Perhaps they can give you a heads up that the bathroom doorknob sometimes gets stuck, or that the neighbor across the street has loud monthly parties, or that the far left corner of the yard is the best spot to plant veggies!

• Join Nextdoor - this will allow you to find out about what’s going on in your neighborhood and city, it will give you a forum to ask questions and find recommendations, and it may also give you a peek at what your neighbors are like!

• Introduce yourself to your neighbors! Would it be awesome if you went the old school route and brought them a pie or cookies? Sure! Is that expected or necessary? No! Don’t let your empty hands prevent you from getting everyone’s names - just walk up to each door, introduce yourselves, and maybe throw in a quick tidbit about yourself. Compliment their garden and offer to gardening secrets; great at baking cookies? Offer to bring them some next time you bake a batch! Need furry friends for your dog? Offer to walk theirs when they’re out of town! Love to order in? Ask them for their favorite takeout joints in the area. This way, you’ve already broken the ice, and if you or they need a favor one day, you’ll already have that rapport. Plus, neighbors who know each other are more likely to keep an out out for each others’ homes. 

  
  

  
  

• Make peace with the boxes! Don’t feel like you need to rush the unpacking process. As you settle into your home, you may rethink where you want to put certain items, how you want your furniture to be arranged, etc. Buying your home means you intend to be there for the long term; you have all the time in the world to organize!

• Don’t sweat the small stuff - are you discovering little quirks in your new home? Maybe you just noticed the faucet was installed slightly askew. Maybe the coat closet door gets stuck whenever you try to open it. Maybe the cabinets in the kitchen aren’t quite as new-looking as you’d remembered. That doesn’t mean you made a mistake in your purchase! Any cosmetic issues are easily fixed, and make up the personality of the house. Don’t let the “new home glow” diminish for little things that you can eventually fix. Just add them to one of your priority lists, and push them out of your mind. Even new constructions built to your specifications will have some small flaws!

• Write a review for your agent! Chances are, your agent put a lot of time and energy into snagging you the best deal possible for your new home, not just when you went under contract but also when negotiating inspection repairs, appraisal results, etc. Reviews and referrals for your agent are the best thank you gift you could possible give them!

  *psst! Are you a Josh Shapiro Team client? Click here to submit your own review, if you haven’t already!