10 Things You Need As A First-Time Homeowner
Owning a home for the first time is an exciting and intimidating experience. Suddenly, you’ve got so many more responsibilities than you’re used to, and dealing with them all can be difficult. Of course, it’s an exhilarating feeling as well; you’re no longer beholden to a landlord and can make all of your own decisions about how your home will be run.
With that said, it’s still possible to trip over certain pitfalls when you’re a new homeowner, and that’s the last thing you want to get in the way of your joy. Here are 10 things you need as a first-time homeowner.
1. Enough cash
It can be easy to forget in the heat of the moment, but one of the most important things you need as a first-time homeowner is enough cash to pay the deposit on a mortgage (or, indeed, to buy your home outright). You can use mortgage loans from reputable providers to help you get the money you need, but it’s often better to buy your property if you’re able to. This will lower your monthly expenses significantly, leaving you freer to buy whatever you need for your new place!
2. New locks
It’s definitely a good idea to replace all of the locks in your home as soon as you can. There’s no reason to think that the previous owner might be unscrupulous, of course, but you should still go through the process of changing the locks anyway. This will give you further peace of mind and mean you can sleep soundly knowing that nobody who has a key for your previous locks will be able to access your home. You can’t put a price on security, after all!
3. Your own decor
Even if you love the decor of the house as it stands when you buy it, you should still replace it with your own unique style. You’ll be able to better acclimatise to the new house if it looks and feels like you, and moving into a new place can take an emotional toll, so doing everything you can to personalise your new home is a good idea. Enlist the help of friends and family if you feel like the task is too overwhelming to handle by yourself, and make sure to take it slow!
4. A full food supply
Over the next few weeks and months, you’re going to be doing a lot to personalise your house and get things in order. With that in mind, you should make sure that your fridge and cupboards are fully stocked. Don’t make the mistake of resorting to takeaway food on a regular basis; while it’s fine as a one-off treat, the benefits of home cooking can’t be overstated, and you’ll want all the nutritional help you can get since your emotions are likely to be all over the place after a move.
5. An improvement plan
If you’re thinking of making significant improvements to your home – extensions, for instance, or entirely new furniture setups – then it definitely pays to build yourself a plan beforehand. Again, you can enlist the help of people who might be more experienced in this area if you don’t feel you’re capable of doing it alone (no shame!). Having a plan beforehand means you won’t be overwhelmed by the task and you’ll be able to compartmentalise each aspect of the work as it comes.
6. Insurance
Whatever insurance you require for your new home, you should make sure that plans are in place to acquire it, ideally before you actually make the move. Most new homeowners aren’t experienced with buying home insurance, and it can be a tricky process if you’re a first-timer, so talk to your friends, family, and anyone else you know who’s been through the process of buying a home. They should have valuable insight regarding home insurance dos and don’ts.
7. Internet access
Again, in the excitement of moving, it can be easy to forget to set up internet access, especially if you’re used to having it provided by a landlord when you were renting. Make sure to shop around different internet providers to see which one works best for you; there’s a chance you might be able to get a better deal than you had in your previous place, so don’t just assume that the company you’ve been with for years is still automatically the best choice for you.
8. Utilities
As a new homeowner, it’s going to be up to you to make sure all of your utilities are set up properly. That means electricity, gas if your home has it, and water, as well as any other ancillary utilities you may have. The previous homeowner (if there is one) should have left information regarding previous providers, and hopefully, they’ve made the handover relatively painless. Either way, though, it’s now your responsibility to set up utilities and make sure they’re all in working order.
9. Notification for change of address
Various companies in your life are going to require notification that you’ve changed your address. Not doing this can lead to complications; not only could the post end up in the wrong place, but you might not be able to access financial aid or other helpful services. You’ll find plenty of great change-of-address checklists online, but as a general rule of thumb, you should notify energy companies, banks, insurance providers, and the council that you’ve moved, as well as your doctor.
10. Introductions
Depending on your surroundings, you may or may not deem this necessary, but many new homeowners consider it a good idea to introduce themselves to the neighbours and anyone else who’s nearby. Hopefully, you’ve bought a home that’s in a decent place, and the people around you are nice, but whoever they happen to be, introducing yourself will put you on the path to integrating yourself into the community. Go along to local events and catch your neighbours when they’re already out if you’ve got doorbell anxiety!
