As the excitement of the holidays wind down, we find ourselves at the point of making resolutions for the coming year. And, while ideas such as eating healthy, exercising and losing weight tend to be at the forefront of our minds, let us not forget to also set goals as homeowners. Having a plan for the year ahead can help you optimize your finances, save you money and ensure your home is well-maintained. Here are a few areas to focus on:
Examine Your Finances
Once you have established how much money is coming in, you can concentrate on where it is going out. In aspiring to be debt free, see if you can find a way to maximize your mortgage. Evaluate your property tax, assessed value and homeowner insurance. If you have questions about these, talk to a professional and educate yourself about options.
Save Yourself Cash
If you are considering home updates this year, do your research and set a budget. Knowing how much you have to work with will help you to prioritize and not overspend.
Maintain Your Home & Value
Create a maintenance schedule for the year and include items like changing CO2 batteries, replacing furnace filters, winterizing sprinklers and planning deep cleans. In addition, create a punch list of things that need to be fixed and stop putting them off. Separate those that you can do yourself from those that will require a professional.
Once you have a plan in place be sure and stick to it, and you are guaranteed to enjoy a happy home in 2018.
John Dunning
Designated Broker/Owner
