Home Maintenance: 5 Things My Parents Taught Me

When my husband and I bought our first home last year, we naively assumed that home ownership would be easy. It didn’t take long after moving in to realize that owning a home was a whole lot more difficult than renting: It was up to us to take care of the house ourselves. Luckily, my parents lived close-by and were quick to share advice from their home-owning experience of thirty-five years. Among the many tips that helped us were these five that I think all new homeowners should hear:

1. You are your own landlord.

Once you pick up the keys to your new house, you become your own landlord. That means if something goes wrong, it’s your responsibility to fix it. To make sure you’re never left in a tight spot, be proactive and find a plumber, electrician, air-conditioning specialist, and other important technicians before you need them. Ask for recommendations from home-owning friends or neighbors, then research their suggestions online to determine the right person for you. It’s also smart to keep a detailed notebook of everything that happens to your house so you can refer to it when a problem arises.

2. Make friends on your street.

Befriending your neighbors will make your new life as a homeowner a whole lot easier. One way to ensure you make a good impression is by showing your neighbors right away that you aren’t going to be "that house" on the block, i.e., the one everyone whispers about. Keep the outside of your house looking nice, mow your lawn, and put away your trash cans in a timely fashion. Prove yourself to be a good addition to the neighborhood, and your neighbors will be willing to lend a hand when you need one.

To make sure you’re never left in a tight spot, be proactive and find a plumber, electrician, air-conditioning specialist, and other important technicians.

3. Get to know your fuse box and water shut-off.

One of the first things my dad did when we moved in was acquaint us with our fuse box and water shut-off valve. He told us that every homeowner will need to turn these off at some point, and when that time comes (often during an emergency), no one wants to be unprepared. This is especially important for us living in prime “Earthquake Country,” California.

4. Make repairs as soon as possible.

We all procrastinate sometimes, but you never want to put off repairing the "small stuff" in your home, because little issues have a way of becoming big ones when left as is. The good news is that you can make many of these repairs yourself, and my dad suggests checking out YouTube—it’s full of “how-to” tutorials for almost every issue. Home Depot also offers free home repair classes that my dad has taken and recommends. If you’re not the handy type, hire someone immediately. These issues will always cost you way more in the long run if you wait.

5. Seek advice from a tax professional.

Taxes get a lot more complex when you own a home, so it’s wise to hire a professional accountant right away. We decided on one shortly after moving in, then had a consultation with her when she told us about the many tax benefits now available to us (such as the first-time home-buyer tax credit), as well as things we could do throughout the year to save even more on our taxes (such as making energy-based improvements).

The good news is that all of this trouble is far outweighed by the benefits of having a home. If you need any help, let me know—I’ll send over my mom and dad with a plate of cookies and a wrench.