Yay! You just bought a house. Now, before you get too settled in, have a quick read of these 6 things that recent buyers said they wished they had paid more attention to when they moved in.
1. NEVER BUY FURNITURE ONLINE THAT YOU
HAVEN’T TRIED.
It’s a literal pain in the neck, back, or rear to discover that your cool, expensive retro-styled sofa sinks so low that you feel like you’re sitting in a trough. Or that your awesome dining room table can only seat six when the marketing said eight. Or your bar stools feel like torture devices. Try before you buy.
2. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO
CHANGE, DON’T WAIT TOO LONG.
If you hate the location of the washer and dryer, move it now. Wish the walls weren’t just white? Paint them now. Bugged by a tiny deck that can’t accommodate your large family? Change it first. There’s a tendency to get used to a thing, then you end up living with it, ignoring that nagging annoyance every time you see it. Pretty soon your to-do list becomes a never-done list.
3. “MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE,” AS THE SAYING
GOES.
Anytime you decide to do some DIY project, double and triple check all dimensions, angles, openings and closings, hot vs cold, size, and color… have I forgotten anything? Basically, check everything multiple times before cutting. Especially when you know you’re not the most detail-oriented person, make sure someone else looks at the project with you… before you cut.
4. WHEN DECORATING, REMEMBER #2 ABOVE.
Don’t throw furniture together, simply because you already own it. Once placed, it has a tendency to remain forever. Instead, take time to plan an interior design. Use inspiration rooms from online images or magazines. Or get design help. Many interior design companies have recommendation services where you can describe what you want and they’ll pull together a plan for you for a small fee. Then if you want to take them up on it, you can purchase some (or all) of the furnishings from them.
5. “A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, AND EVERYTHING
IN ITS PLACE”
This is another piece of timeless advice. A friend of mine still puts her hand mixer in a drawer with her hand towels, even though the location makes no sense. It’s across the kitchen, away from other appliances, and not near her cook surface. “Why?” I ask. “Because that’s where I first put it when we moved in,” she answers. This rule holds especially for paperwork. Take time to decide where things go before they end in default locations.
6. “GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS.”
When people say “Good fences make good neighbors,” they’re speaking literally and figuratively. Make a good first impression on the neighbors. It can literally make your life healthier and happier. Clean up your moving-in debris quickly. Keep the yard tidy, even though there are a million other things on your plate. Try not to start borrowing things right away.
Buying a house can be stressful. The constant rat race of running around town looking at half a dozen or so homes each time. Submitting offers on half of those just to be told your offer was not accepted. But once you finally close on a home, all of that will seem like nothing and the real fun can start. Just follow the rules above and you should be just fine. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
