Just Moved In? Make Sure You Avoid These Mistakes

Moving into a new home is exciting, but it's easy to get carried away and make mistakes you'll regret later. Here are a few tips from our real estate agents on the top mistakes new homeowners make when they first move in.

• Forgetting to reserve money for important repairs.
  When your home inspector looked the place over, they probably gave you an idea of what repairs would be upcoming. Some of them you may have asked the seller to repair, or you may have taken the opportunity to get a discount on the selling price. Even though it's tempting to immediately splurge on new paint and furniture, don't forget to set some money aside for the repairs you know about, as well as any that crop up unexpectedly.
  
  
• Painting everything without testing your paint colors first.
  Whether you're painting the exterior or the interior, painting everything your chosen color before testing it out is a big commitment. So that you don't end up stuck with a color you don't like, find a small area to test your paint colors first. Your test area should get a variety of direct and muted light throughout the day so that you can see it in all different light conditions.
  
  
• Not prioritizing light.
  When you start decorating your new home, think about the lessons you learned as you were walking through different South Bend homes for sale. One of the number one things you probably noticed is that lighting is everything. A well-lit home looks better than a dimly-lit one, and this goes for your own home as well as the homes on the market! Choose window treatments that allow you to open them up and let plenty of natural light in, and update light fixtures as needed.
  
  
• Decorating with a look that doesn't work for your new home.
  While you may have put the majority of your homebuying budget into buying the house and making repairs, it's wise to leave a little earmarked for new furniture and decor. Especially if you lived in a very different style of home before, or if you're moving from an apartment into your first home, you may have a lot of decor that just won't work with your new home. Be willing to assess the style of your pieces as you move them into your new home, and be honest with yourself about what works (or doesn't).
  
  
• Getting rid of everything and starting over.
  While you shouldn't assume that your eclectic decor from your college apartment is going to work in your classy new home, this doesn't mean you should toss everything out and start over from scratch, either. There's something to be said for reusing pieces, even if they're not necessarily being used the same way in the new place. Don't be afraid to reimagine your decor as you settle into your new home.
  
  
• Failing to make a plan.
  Having a plan in place will help you settle into your new place. In fact, you'll probably need lots of plans: plans for making needed repairs and updates, plans for buying new furniture and decor, plans for how you're going to utilize each room in your new home. Going into all of these tasks with a plan will ensure that everything gets done that needs to and that you have a cohesive vision or end goal in mind.

Moving into a new home is exciting, but there's a lot to do before you get to that point! Whether it'll be your first home or an upgrade, to launch your search for your new home, contact us today.