TYM tips for a first-time homeowner?

[Skkra]

Goodbye, apartments… my wife and I recently bought our first house together here in Philadelphia. Plenty of space for the two of us, nice little backyard, large but unfinished basement. The house is in solid overall condition and has a brand new central HVAC system and water heater. It’s definitely move-in ready and not a big fixer-upper, though we’ll probably redo the kitchen within a year because the wife thinks “it’s goddamn hideous.” We settle on 6/28.

Any advice from any TYM homeowners out there for a couple moving into their first house? Dos, donts, cautionary tales? I'm all ears.

 

[G4S Killin Natzees]

Not a homeowner myself, but congrats on the new place man! It would be cool if you keep us updated on future projects.
Word of advice is to try and make the front/backyard beautiful. Great place for company and BBQ's!

 

[Chrishaspads]

A pool is a luxary to have in your backyard! And do you have a driveway?
Btw congrats on the house!

 

[chores]

check basement drainage system whether its sump pump or french drain or whatever make sure everything is in working order.

check for termite damage.

check for signs of mold specifically in bathrooms.

check all fire alarms / co2 alarms / make sure you have fire extinguishers.

check for bad wiring (most common symptoms are flickering lights or new bulbs burning out quickly).

there are test kits of all of these things at hardware stores.

 

[Chrishaspads]

I live in new jersey and the power goes out about 3 times a year, mostly during the summer. and with the storms like irene and sandy, if you experience power outages a couple times a year, i would get a generator but only in a few years if you don't have one.
EDIT: Always check your ceilings for bubbles!

 

[TakeAChance]

I just bought one in November. If there are upstairs baths, check the ceiling underneath for any signs of leaks. My downstairs kitchen ceiling is currently gutted and I have to reseal my tub surround and regrout my tiles

 

[Skkra]

I just bought one in November. If there are upstairs baths, check the ceiling underneath for any signs of leaks. My downstairs kitchen ceiling is currently gutted and I have to reseal my tub surround and regrout my tiles

Ouch. Good point. I'll definitely give that a close look as soon as I get in. I should definitely check my tub seal.

check basement drainage system whether its sump pump or french drain or whatever make sure everything is in working order.
check for termite damage.
check all fire alarms / co2 alarms / make sure you have fire extinguishers.
check for bad wiring (most common symptoms are flickering lights or new bulbs burning out quickly).

Got these checked during the home inspection, but you have a great point with the fire extinguishers. I'm gonna email my wife about that. We should probably get one for each floor. Great idea.

 

[TH3DISTURBED1]

A pool is a luxary to have in your backyard! And do you have a driveway?
Btw congrats on the house!

Make sure to remember the luxury part. Those things are way more expensive than you think! Inground pools are worth it ONLY if you have a metric fuckton of disposable income or live in a state you can use it year round. Even a small pool will cost ~$400-500 (using Wisconsin prices) for 3-4 months of opening, and that is if it is done correctly.

 

[Chrishaspads]

Make sure to remember the luxury part. Those things are way more expensive than you think! Inground pools are worth it ONLY if you have a metric fuckton of disposable income or live in a state you can use it year round. Even a small pool will cost ~$400-500 (using Wisconsin prices) for 3-4 months of opening, and that is if it is done correctly.

Yeah dont get one if it will put you in a bad situation with bills or anything of that sort! But thats common sense . My parents just build a deck in their backyard and put the pool in the middle of it (its a big deck lol)and they made a inground pool that way.

 

[xWEBSx]

Hey man.. Congrats! Awesome news! And in my hometown non the less

My wife and I are onto our second house.. Some things we learned....

- fix the real issues first- leaks, cracks, damage.. Etc before doing cosmetic fixes (re-doing a room)
- when re-doing rooms... Agree on a plan- 1 room at a time- dont spread too thin!
- open and shut each door/window at least 20 times each (exterior, interior, closet) see how they function, see how they would potentially need to be fixed..
- flush each toilet about 10 times.. See what type of water flow you get.. See how the suction appears., and also listen for any type noises after flush..

Others have put some really good points man.. Good to cover all your bases...

The best piece of advice I received was for my wife and I to open up a joint savings account- put an agreed amount aside per checks- call it the "house fund"...DO NOT TOUCH IT unless something goes wrong.. It builds quicker than expected.. Then when that hot water heater goes.. It's not so stressful.. An added benefit is that you evaluate it at the end of each year.. If nothing has gone wrong you can take "some" NOT all and use it to help finance redoing a room.

It's truly a great feeling when a new house finally feels like "home".. Best of luck guys!

 

[Skkra]

- open and shut each door/window at least 20 times each (exterior, interior, closet) see how they function, see how they would potentially need to be fixed..
- flush each toilet about 10 times.. See what type of water flow you get.. See how the suction appears., and also listen for any type noises after flush..

The best piece of advice I received was for my wife and I to open up a joint savings account- put an agreed amount aside per checks- call it the "house fund"

Thanks for this awesome advice.

Ran the House Fund by the wife last night, and she liked it. Created a secondary savings account for it. Great idea man. I'll remember to thank you when I need to get my roof refinished or something and I already have the cash stashed away!

 

[deathblooms2k4]

When you start your DYI projects make sure you do them on areas that are not direly important to you. Your 2nd bathroom, or office as opposed to your bedroom or primary bathroom. Some projects that seem like they may only take a day or two or just a weekend can easily scope creep into multiple weeks and it's better to make your mistakes and learn from them on rooms you care less about than the ones you do. The kitchen is a big undertaking I'd suggest working some smaller projects first unless you plan to contract it out professionally.

 

[_xFriction]

before and after pics are a must

 

[Name v.5.0]

Don't masturbate with the shades open. Dude in my state is now a convicted sex offender because someone said their kid saw him through his window.

Cant even choke the chicken in your own house these days.

 

[Mr. Mileena]

I really recommend fumigating your home days before you move in.
Check for infestation problems, bugs, spiders, are all common moving in a new home. If none a present, still fumigate.
If it's a used house, even MORE reason to fumigate.
Check for any possible holes, creases, where rodents, insects may be able to sneak in.

Take pictures of every room prior to officially moving in and keep them safe.

And, if your wife thinks the kitchen needs to be remodeled then she is probably right.

 

[Euphoric]

Get a sump pump.

 

[Doombawkz]

The biggest advice I can give that hasn't been given already is know your neighbors.
Making good friends close-by have some obvious benefits (social interaction, etc) but also have been studied and shown to give additional benefit such as...
better home security (neighbors whom know eachother are more likely to speak out to one another about suspicious going-ons)
emergency assistance (Roof caves in or a break-in occurs, you have a safe place to stay, just don't overstay your welcome)
referencing (Often bosses will look into the neighbors opinions of someone to get a gauge for a promotion/bonus. My boss did.)

And of course, its always welcome to have friends nearby to help you get better associated into the community itself. If you're in a new place, a neighbor could be the fastest way into making more connections throughout town. People with more experience in the areas can also advise against the more "troubled areas" of town. Even if all of these don't appeal or apply to you, there is very very clear benefit to knowing those around you.

 

[xWEBSx]

I really recommend fumigating your home days before you move in.
Check for infestation problems, bugs, spiders, are all common moving in a new home. If none a present, still fumigate.
If it's a used house, even MORE reason to fumigate.
Check for any possible holes, creases, where rodents, insects may be able to sneak in.

Take pictures of every room prior to officially moving in and keep them safe.

And, if your wife thinks the kitchen needs to be remodeled then she is probably right.

Come to think if it.. This is ABSOLUTELY sound advice.. The house will be empty, and will never be so again (until move out time). If funds are available , start shopping NOW.. What can it hurt?

 

[EvilNonsense]

Have someone perform maintenance on the A/C unit. How old are the appliances?

 

[Skkra]

Have someone perform maintenance on the A/C unit. How old are the appliances?

The central heating and air unit is a brand new high-efficiency unit that was just installed in 2012. The water heater is also brand new. Kitchen appliances are all about 5-8 years old. When we redo the kitchen within the next year, we'll replace everything.

I'm thinking now I might buy a big fireproof safe, anchor it in my basement. Good place to keep important stuff like birth certificates, passports, etc?...

 

[deathblooms2k4]

Haha might want to make sure it's waterproof if you are gonna keep it in our basement.

 

[aj1701]

A pool is a luxary to have in your backyard! And do you have a driveway?
Btw congrats on the house!

Pools are a liability.

Take my advise with a grain of salt; home ownership is something I'd like to get out of and never do again. Although I would not be opposed to a condo provided maintenance is not my responsibility.

Here goes; take home improvement classes, learn carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc. Things break, and paying someone else is super expensive, and if you can't do it you can't spot someone you're paying that is cutting corners. If your dad can do this stuff and lives nearby, it will be a huge help (my dad built his own house, but sadly lives too far away to come help / teach me what to do).

dont let things go; do repairs immediately as things that need fixing will only deteriorate and make repairs that much more expensive. Take excellent care of the home, dont let cleaning slip, and learn what preventative tasks you should do. Inspect your property regularly. Make sure you have good insurance, dont skimp. Go to flood.gov and find your flood risk level and buy appropriate coverage for floods as its NOT included in your homeowners policy.

Don't plan on moving for a long time. Remember your home is a LONG TERM investment. If you buy and sell frequently you'll rack up debt due to closing costs and interest as the start of the mortgage you're mostly paying interest only. As you pay more principle, your equity increases, but until then you're just buying money.

Do not become emotionally attached to your house; home is where ever you hang your hat, your house is an investment.

Of course, you may want to talk to a real financial planner for your specific situation.

I am jealous that you're in Philly, I really miss the city.

 

[aj1701]

EDIT: Always check your ceilings for bubbles!

Explain please.

 

[aj1701]

Ouch. Good point. I'll definitely give that a close look as soon as I get in. I should definitely check my tub seal.



Got these checked during the home inspection, but you have a great point with the fire extinguishers. I'm gonna email my wife about that. We should probably get one for each floor. Great idea.

I had a fire in my house. We are fortunate we got it out before the fd arrived and it was only carpet and burn paint on the walls. We now have extigihers on every level as well as smoke / co detectors ( a must if you use natural gas for anything).

 

[RWDY Nori]

Me and my wife just bought our first home too. Some really good tips on here

aj1701 My apt burned down last year, some idiot next to our building left their BBQ on and our entire building went up in flames at 5am. Me my wife and daughter (she was 6 months at the time) barely got out, really scary shit