New Year's Resolutions for Your Real Estate

It seems that many New Year's resolutions are centered around diets, losing weight, and getting in shape; mainly, long-term goals that do not give most of us immediate results. Perhaps, we would feel a sense of accomplishment if we started the year with small obtainable goals centered around one of our most important lifetime investments,  real estate. Whether you own or rent a home, a substantial amount of your income goes to keeping a reliable roof over your head.  With that said, here are a couple of New Year's resolutions for homeowners and renters to consider in 2018...it's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. As an owner, review and renew your Homeowners Insurance – you might be missing out on some money-saving opportunities if you roll over your insurance year to year instead of reviewing your policy. The same applies for renter's insurance. It is always a good idea to look for any areas where you can shave a few dollars; these short-term, obtainable goals add up and lead to accomplishing long-term resolutions like becoming free and clear of debt.
2. Safety matters – ensure that you and your family are safe in the upcoming years by testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, check for radon and mold. If you rent, contact your landlord to do a safety check.  Addressing common safety problems mentioned above can also be costly and even worse become life threatening. Your resolution to get healthier may not have anything to do with eating greens; while it is recommended to eat veggies, your lack of energy could be due to something more serious like mold spores.
3. Get organized and de-clutter – plan a day to clean closets, cabinets, and storage space to make your home look nicer and you feel better.  Research indicates that messes cause stress, and stress is unhealthy for our minds and bodies.  Specific goals like organizing the garage lead to bigger objectives like "I'm going to stop stressing."   If one of your "stressing variables" is removed from you life, you are that much closer to living stress free.

All these steps above will not only improve your home, it will hopefully give you sense of accomplishment and a head start on long-term resolutions. Also, remember you local John R. Wood REALTOR®  not only represents you when you are selling or buying a home; for instance, if you are shopping around for Homeowner's insurance, they can make recommendations.  Real estate professionals can also help you be aware of potential hazards such as electrical safety issues, lead paint, or poor ventilation by referring you to a reliable inspector or resource, such as an electrician if knob and tube wiring is discovered.  A good real estate professional can also give you tips on getting rid of clutter, which leads to staging a home for market appeal. However, if you are putting your home up for sale, you'll be glad when you are well prepared to identify and address common issues like above before you list.  If you are a renter and/or  a prospective buyer, it pays to be aware of issues found in many homes so you don't buy a money-pit or worse, end up in an unsafe property.