There’s No Place Like Home

            You have been renting for years but now you have just bought your first home.  Life is perfect and you have lofty visions of you and your family living there for years.  But now what?  What do you, as a new homeowner, need to keep in mind now that you are calling all the shots?  If you truly want to lord over your new domain, take a look at some of the things successful homeowners do, or don’t do in some cases, in order to fulfill that dream.  First of all, be yourself.  Find your style and go with it.  You don’t have to worry about a landlord, so make your place your own.  If you want to go completely crazy decorating, who is to stop you?  Just keep in mind that you may need to tone things down if you ever plan on selling your home again, but until that time, carpe diem.  Total bonus, you are in charge.  The downfall, you are in charge.  If there are repairs to be made or things to be fixed, you can no longer call the landlord to help, it is all on you.  The best thing to remember is to not ignore small problems and take care of things right away.  A small easily fixed issue can transform into a huge very expensive problem in the blink of an eye, so you better keep yours open. 

             Whether things are still small problems or the huge and expensive variety, know when you can handle it yourself or when you should call in a professional.  If you have never had to repair things for yourself before, it makes sense to bring in someone who has the experience you may be lacking, or you could easily turn the former into the latter.  Also keep in mind that while it may be more fun to go shopping for new furniture or renovating a perfectly adequate kitchen in to your dream gourmet spot, you may want to instead spend your money on something that will improve your home and save you money in the long term.  Things like roof repairs or solar panels may not seem like fun, but having them will let you put more money back in your pocket for the more enjoyable improvements later.  One of the best things that a successful homeowner can do is to become part of the community.  Use what your neighborhood has to offer and as well as your neighbors.  Many of them can offer advice, help, or even refer you to the best professionals in your area.  In some cases, they can become your life-long friends or family you never knew you wanted.