I Own a Home, Now What?

Two words: maintenance and upgrades.

Maintenance: If you search online for an annual home maintenance checklist, you will find hundreds of free ones. When it comes to home maintenance, it is important to remember to sweat the small stuff. Change the furnace filters often and with high quality filters, clean the baseboards and light fixtures. Have the windows cleaned each year to avoid hard water build up. Keep the yard nice. Always. There is a tremendous difference between a yard and home that have always enjoyed high maintenance levels and one that was quickly fixed up for sale. Strangers can feel your level of care and maintenance.

Upgrades: Just because you have found a home doesn't mean that you get to stop spending your Saturdays at open houses and model homes. Touring homes that are for sale will help keep you on top of what buyers are looking for in the market today. Knowing which features are more desirable will help you keep your home's upgrades in line. If all of the model homes that you are seeing have stainless and black appliances, when your microwave or dishwasher breaks, it might be time to update your appliance package. Keep an eye on paint color trends, fixtures and flooring. These finishing touches can help your pre-owned home look fresh, modern and new when it comes time to sell.