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Owning a home is a wonderful feeling – and it is also an incredible amount of work. The maintenance on a home is constant, with something always in need of update, upkeep or repair. After 16 years of home ownership and renovations, I’ve learned a lot about how to deal with the never-ending repairs and upgrades.

Know What You’re Getting Into

There’s a lot to consider when buying a home, including the age of the house and its current state of affairs. Obviously, an older fixer-upper is going to need the most work, but even brand new homes come with a surprising amount of work right out of the gate. Review your home inspection carefully and learn everything you can about the property. You can’t anticipate everything, but you can often get a sense of what might need work down the line.

Be Prepared to Problem-Solve

One major difference between renting and owning is that when something breaks, there’s no landlord to call – it’s all you, baby! And Murphy’s Law always seems to dictate that a pipe will burst at 8PM on a Saturday night. “Expect the unexpected” is the name of the game, so it pays to be resourceful and learn as much about doing your own home maintenance and repair work as possible. A good set of tools can be an amazing investment if you learn how to use them – doing your own minor fixes can save a huge amount of money. You don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wool handyman, either: You’d be amazed how much you can do on your own just by doing a little Googling. For example, Jai figured out how to repair our furnace years ago just by watching a YouTube video! Not everyone can or should be that ambitious, of course, but it’s empowering to solve little home dilemmas and rewarding to learn new skills.

Know When to Call a Pro

Doing a bit of home maintenance is one thing, but major work needs to be left to the professionals. Don’t get in over your head and try to tackle anything you’re not confident in – you don’t want to take any risks, and every area has different rules and city codes about obtaining permits. Electrical work, plumbing, anything to do with your foundation – all of these things require a professional. And for heaven’s sake, don’t break your neck trying to climb up on the roof – hire someone like Westchase Roofing instead!

Keep a Sense of Humor

Home ownership can be very stressful, especially when something breaks unexpectedly or you are slogging through a big home renovation. When your home is torn up with construction, it can feel very suffocating as well as extremely inconvenient – and expensive! Remember to take a step back, breathe, and remember that this too shall pass. When an obnoxious home disaster strikes, do your best to hang on to your sense of humor and remember that this is all an unavoidable part of owning your own home. The wacky misadventures that occur will someday be funny memories made in your home!

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Buying your first home is an overwhelming process with a lot to consider – and a lot at stake. Thinking about taking the leap? Here’s a few helpful hints to get you started:

Get Your Finances in Order

The biggest challenge in purchasing your first home is affording it in the first place. There are a myriad of factors at play, from increased housing costs to the large amount of student loan debt that most Millennials now carry. Each prospective homeowner has their own unique circumstances to consider, such as their personal credit history, job prospects, and whether or not they will have any financial assistance from family. There’s a lot to consider, so it’s important to weigh your options carefully and take your time – don’t rush into anything without having all the facts. If you’re in the Sunshine State, mortgage brokers such as The Associates Home Loan of Florida can provide information on a variety of different home loan options, including for unique circumstances such as being self-employed. Do exhaustive research and talk to as many different people as you can so that you can best weigh what path to home ownership is most right for you.

Look Carefully For Hidden Costs

Figuring out how you’ll finance your first home is just the first step. Now your challenge will be to find the right thing that fits your budget. Whether you buy a brand new home or a fixer-upper will almost always be determined by your budget, but if you’re purchasing the latter, it’s really important to consider how much work the home will need. A good rule of thumb is that home renovations will always take longer and cost more than expected, so it’s vital that you factor this into your budget. You also have to consider the time involved with renovations and how feasible that will be when considering the other demands on your time. Even if you buy a pristine house that was built last month, homeownership always involves a lot of maintenance and repairs, which just goes up exponentially with the age and condition of the home. Being a homeowner is a lot of work no matter what!

Research The Area

Once you’ve done the financial legwork to start on the path to home ownership, it’s time to start looking at actual houses that could become your home. While we’ve talked at length about researching the property itself, it’s also crucial to do your homework on the neighborhood you’re moving to. If you’re buying a house in the same city that you live in, this isn’t as big a concern, but if you’re moving to a new area altogether then you’ll want to do your homework. Even the most picture-perfect neighborhood can have drawbacks you wouldn’t expect. Ask yourself questions such as: What is the crime rate in this area? Is this home vulnerable to flooding or tornadoes? Is this a good location in terms of school districts, grocery stores, and/or commuting to work? You can’t anticipate everything, but spending some time imagining the day-to-day realities of living in your potential new home can help you identify red flags.