the search: the search for a home was a longgggg journey. it took me almost two years to find it. but you know… they say that the right house comes along at the right time. it’s true. i looked at a lot of homes. it was exhausting. but after each one, i learned more about what i did and didn’t like. the thing is, there’s never a perfect home unless you build it from the ground up. there’s always going to be something “wrong” but i guess that’s where your must-have list comes into play. make a list of things you must-have in a home. for me, it was pretty simple: new-ish one-story home, 3 bed and 3 bath, one door garage, white kitchen. another thing to think about is location. always pick location over everything else because that is something you CANNOT change. the interior of the house? you can change. think about the things you can and cannot live with/without and prioritize. this house ended up being more than my price range but due to location i went all in. it was risky, but it was the best decision i’ve made. it’s funny how it happened. i jokingly sent the listing to my parents as a “wow wouldn’t this be nice?!” turns out they secretly scoped it out without me! i ended up putting in an offer without even looking at it and the rest is history. funny how it all works out! some other things to think about when buying a home: HOA fees (don’t pay hundreds a month! that is robbery!), and find a realtor who is wiling to give you back some of their commission.
year one: in my first year of homeownership, there were definitely tears. haha. it was hella stressful and feelings of biting off more than i could chew. everything was a DIY. i knew nothing about interior design. money was tight because i had signed my life away to this dwelling and i basically had ZERO furniture, i remember the first year there were echos in the house when i talked because i literally had nothing but a desk and a bed. i never realized how a lawn can grow at such an alarming rate in the summer, not to mention weeds. URGH. don’t get me started on weeds. my BFF was measuring tape. i friggin’ MEASURED everything. it was insane. i was at home depot on the daily it felt like. my father and i built a lot of furniture. i will say one thing, i became an expert at building the IKEA hemnes line. i can tell you with so much confidence that i am the woman for that haha. and hey, if you can build IKEA furniture by yourself and interpret those instructions that are only pictures..… there isn’t a thing in life that you cannot do!!!
year two: the second year, i got smart and finally allowed myself to hire professionals for lawn service & treatments. gosh it was the BIGGEST treat. at this point i realized i had problems of letting go, i had problems asking for help. i felt like i needed to save my money and do everything myself. but the problem was that i was also working multiple jobs (by choice) and it took a breakdown to realize… i just can’t do it all. i can’t. i’m one person and i need help. letting that aspect go was hard for me, and it sounds crazy right? however, i was still frugal. i barely turned on the heater or let the AC go down to a really cool state in the summer. i began to have my parent’s mentality “put on a sweater” haha. funny how we start to gravitate towards their ways as we grow up.
current: the third year was when i finally started to feel settled into here. no more furniture searching or worries about lawn care etc… this was also the year that COVID took our lives in weird directions. i lived a little more and allowed myself heat and AC. 🤣 it feels good to have a rhythm and flow now. to finally have the essentials. but the list never ends does it?! haha. at least now i can finally focus on elements that are nice-to-have but not-really-needed like some upgrades and decor. it’s a good place to be. finally.
random things i learned//
security & staying informed
homeownership apps: Next Door and private community Facebook page you can join (if applicable). though there’s lots of buzz and opinions on there (and people who have a lot of time to post), but there can be good info on what’s going on in the neighborhood. great way to stay informed and share information quickly. EX: used to identify a rattlesnake and to find someone to help me get rid of it!!!! you can also use it to sell/buy/give away home stuff too! also, Home Advisor is great & easy app for getting quotes for house projects/repairs
alarm system = GET IT. this is something you won’t regret. it’s money well spent to protect yourself and your assets. safety is always #1; you can’t put a price tag on it. you def don’t want to be in a spot of being robbed when an alarm system could’ve avoided that whole mess. also note, a permit is required to have a residential alarm system and of course that includes an annual fee! adulting comes with so many price tags they don’t tell you about!
surveillance system = GET IT. lemme tell you, there’s some funky stuff that happens that you don’t see. lol i have the arlo and love it! don’t want a set of cameras?, at least purchase a doorbell one such as the arlo doorbell or the Ring that allows you to talk through it without having to answer the door
documentation/tracking logs/$$$
keep track of all the permanent upgrades that you make to your house (inside and out)! i use Excel and keep track of everything i’ve added to the house. including the date added, dollar amounts, links to the items, contact info, model #s etc… it keeps a running total of the added value you’ve put into your home.
keep track of all your monthly expenses such as gas, utilities, water, internet, mortgage, HOA, security etc… this gives you an idea how much you’re spending a month that are strictly essential home expenses.
sometimes, enrolling in auto-pay or going paperless for your house bills can save you a little money, also pre-paying for services can also get you a little discount — rule of thumb, never hurts to ask!
add re-occurring events to your google calendar such as: changing the air filter (yearly), changing the refrigerator water filter (6 months), spraying the exterior of your house (yearly in spring), change out roach/ant bait for preventative measures (6 months)
extra money? put some of it towards your monthly mortgage payments, every little bit counts and gets you closer to paying off your house!
property taxes… now that’s something that’ll make you wanna cry. find a company that will protest your property taxes for you. they usually take a certain % but it takes one minute to sign up and they DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU. there is ZERO RISK and you only pay if they’re able to lower your property taxes. i use FiveStone. this is a no-brainer
get your homeowner’s and car insurance through the same company. sometimes they’ll give you a discount. also, when it comes to re-newing your policies, ask for a discount!!! i’ve shaved off at least $200 just by asking
exterior & pests
lawn service = GET IT. but first, know how to do it yourself so you have greater appreciation for those who do it for a living. nothing like mowing the lawn at 7AM in the Texas summer heat to make you feel humbled
lawn treatments = GET IT
there’s something weirdly satisfying about pulling a really large weed, roots and all. i can’t explain it. i won’t. yes, i actually went out and spent hours pulling weeds before = wasted time
every spring, spray the exterior of your home to prevent critters from crawling their way in. this is a good one. don’t skimp and do your hand a favor by paying more for the one touch continuous spray!
best ant bait: Terro liquid ant bait. don’t waste your time on the other stuff
best gift to a new homeowner: a bug zapper. because you know, sometimes you need to kill something without splattering its guts. when i see a critter i jump into HIGH-MODE. like there ain’t no time to even scream or be scared. i got this. also, you will see smoke coming from these zaps, it is no joke!
leaf guards for the gutters = a must
interior & misc
legit measuring tape is sharp. it will legit CUT YOU. speaking from experience
cleaning vents… well, now i know why you should hire a professional for that
painting is a lot harder than it seems
painters tape (aka: blue tap) is frigging NIFTY. it sticks and it doesn’t ruin things or walls. in thick and thin sizes
for the cabinets underneath the faucet, line the bottom and a little more of it with plastic so that when it leaks, it doesn’t entirely ruin your wooden cabinets (this is where painters tape is again handy)
when it comes to refrigerator water filters, buy the brand name. unless you like cleaning a huge water leak mess
want to donate something? you can always schedule a pick-up with The Salvation Army
dress up your IKEA furniture with nicer knobs
when it comes to interior design, you cannot go wrong with white. WHITE literally goes with everything. the upkeep isn’t fun. but if you don’t know what you’re doing start with white and add to your color scheme
when shopping for furniture the two things you should invest in: dining table, couch
smoke detector uses a 9V battery
when getting quotes for work done on your home always get three to compare
nothing like getting a little shocked/zapped/electrocuted to make you feel alive, couple of volts never hurt anyone, right?!! clearly it was an accident that won’t ever be happening again. like ever.
light bulb 101: lumens = brightness (measured in K, the higher, the brighter); watts = amt of power required; color (from low to high K) = warm (yellowish, usually for living rooms, bedrooms, dens), bright white (more white, usually for kitchens, office, bathrooms), daylight. LED is usually the way to go bc it saves energy, lasts longer, and doesn’t contain mercury. i also like motion sensor bulbs (automatically turns on when there is motion) for the front door and dawn to dusk sensing bulbs (automatically turns on at dusk, and off at dawn) for the front lights
cheers to having a place to call home,
JD
