Top tips for purchasing and maintaining your perfect property

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We have all been in the same boat. You go to look around a property, fall in love with it, and then comes the panic about the future. Will you be able to afford it and the upkeep? Will it be a money pit? Are there hidden problems? Here we bring you top tips for purchasing and maintaining your perfect property.

Take your time

The first thing that we would advise when you are buying the property you feel could be your dream home is to take your time. Rushing into things, in many aspects of life, can lead to poor decision making and regret without knowing the full story. If you feel you have found ‘the one’, be sure to visit it on several occasions, both during the day and at night. It is also advisable to visit during the weekend, too, as this can provide you with valuable insight into the neighborhood into which you’d be moving.

Although it may feel as though you risk losing the house to an offer from someone else, it would be a much bigger issue if you rushed a house purchase through only to discover significant issues with the structure, for example. This is why you ought to pay someone to carry out a survey. It will reveal any existing problems and any which may arise in the near future. Additionally, taking your time means that you can negotiate with the current owners. For example, you may wish to buy the property with the existing blinds to ensure you have window coverings upon moving in. Rushing things through often results in something like that being overlooked.

Be prepared

In life, nothing ever entirely goes to plan. Therefore, it pays to be prepared and consider any eventuality. Before you even move from your current abode to your recently purchased one, you must think about who will help move your belongings, especially valuable furniture and electrical equipment. Always seek recommendations from friends and family members for removals companies, ensuring that they have adequate insurance and take all the necessary precautions to safeguard your stuff.

Starting from the day the house is officially yours, it is imperative to have adequate buildings and contents insurance. If something were to happen without having a policy in place, you would be in significant trouble. Unfortunately, there are still some things which are not covered by even the most comprehensive of policies. To rectify problems, such as flood damage, you will often need to have purchased a flood-specific insurance plan.

Provide it with TLC

You would not buy a business and expect it to run itself. You should take the same approach when it comes to your property. Once you have moved in, before unpacking, assess the situation with regard to decorating. If you have spare rooms, currently not needed, store items in there to allow you to paint or wallpaper the other spaces within the property. It is wise to consider colors that will refrain from appearing grubby after a few months or ones which can easily be painted over. Of course, this all depends on your family setup. If you have children, you are less likely to choose whites and off-whites anyway – a kid can turn a room from white to beige in just a few minutes.

It is not just the redecorating that you need to ensure you keep on top of, but the cleaning must be up to scratch, too. Leaving rooms untouched for significant periods of time can mean that you miss seeing items which are in need of repair or areas where there are problems, such as damp or mold. In addition, it is best to keep your property well-ventilated as regularly as possible. Throwing open the windows on a daily basis, even for just a few minutes, can allow the fresh air in and, as a bonus, it also can improve your mood. Avoid drying clothes inside your home if possible as this will help to provide an increase in humidity, which can lead to mold, a danger to your and your family’s health. As for the areas of the property in need of repair, try to act in a timely manner. Although you may need be the world’s greatest DIY enthusiast, it is always better to attempt to resolve a problem rather than leaving it, thus risking further damage. Of course, if you really are a Homer Simpson character when it comes to chores, call in the professionals if needs be.

About Amanda

I love to buy a lot of products for the home, and dissect them out. I split them into duds and winners, and share the findings here on my site. As a reader of my site, I'm aiming for your next purchase to be an informed and inspired one.

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