What were the surprises with your first home?

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Permalink Reply by Stephen James on June 25, 2008 at 11:53am

I was under the impression that Home Warranty contractors fixed things and didn't replace them. For instance, if a pipe leaks you put sealant on it instead of putting in a new pipe.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Shoemaker on June 25, 2008 at 11:59am

Nope. I've personally had sections of pipe replaced, as well as blower motors in a furnace. My clients have have entire electrical service panels, air conditioning compressors, water heaters, dishwashers, garbage disposals, garage door openers...all replaced.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Williams on June 25, 2008 at 12:02pm

The home warranty company doesn't actually do the work. You call your home warranty company, then they get in touch with a local who can do the work (in our case, a leaky Fridge). So we called the home warranty company and they then contacted a local Fridge guy and he called us to set up an appointment. Then the fridge guy bills the Home Warranty company and they send you bill for your pre-agreed-upon amount.

As for repair/replace, that depends. If the problem is an easy fix (like our leaky Fridge), it will likely just be repaired, but there are cases where the home warranty will pay for the replacement of an item rather than simply a repair.

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Permalink Reply by Maureen on June 25, 2008 at 11:15am

Change your voter registration!

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Ball on June 26, 2008 at 1:36pm

Hi Stephen & Rachel!

Welcome to Washington Township. I just read through all of the great suggestions and have one more to add. If you have a fireplace, have it inspected and cleaned. Years ago a neighbor moved in and thought it would be a great idea to have a fire on their first night in the house. They didn't know that their chimney was dirty and covered in highly flammable creosote. A few sparks later and their chimney caught fire. Since you're moving in the summer, it should be cheaper and easier to get a chimney sweep out.

Also, the owner of the Ace Hardware is Mike Pasciak - he's a friend of mine and all round good guy.

Have fun!

Andy

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Permalink Reply by Julie Hurst on May 19, 2009 at 5:44pm

Make sure the home does not have mold or has ever had mold. We have a home in our community where the seller did not disclose. The new owners ended up suing and won but in the meantime it took years, the kids got sick and by the time it was settled and over with the stress of remediation the couple ended up in divorce. We have a mold testing and remediation company here in Indianapolis and unfortunately their is not yet a mold disclosure for sellers and inspectors sometimes miss it. Good Luck with new home and hopefully you don't have any of these problems.

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Permalink Reply by Linda J Ranger on May 19, 2009 at 6:55pm

Congratulations!!!! Home ownership takes a lot of work but it is so satisfying. I also live in Washington Township.

Tools...Most of these things have been mentioned but here is my list. I feel every home needs a hammer, Phillips and regular screwdrivers, variety of sizes of nails, screws and picture hangers for hanging things on walls, an electric cordless drill, a shovel for digging and another for snow, hand tools for gardening/plants, step ladder for inside work and an outside ladder for getting unto the roof and painting supplies if you do not like the colors of the home.

From our experience get a gas powered lawn mower so you have enough power to do a good job on your size of yard. Buy a decent enough quality one for the terrain since the mower's body is usually the main thing to go after years of use after replacing the wheels.

If you need any interior design help with colors or furnishings advice give me a call since that is what I do. I could help you with the purchase of window treatments also.

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Permalink Reply by Marita Topmiller on May 19, 2009 at 8:51pm

If you find Poison Ivy or Poison Oak on your property, kill it with Poison Oak & Ivy Killer made by Bonide available at Allisonville Nursery.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Shoemaker on October 5, 2009 at 11:23am

I think the biggest surprise to most first-time homeowners is the actual cost of maintenance and upkeep. I strongly suggest putting away $150 a month in a savings account to take care of things as they pop up, especially if it's an older house without warranted appliances, mechanicals, etc. Changing your furnace filter monthly is $20 by itself. Light bulbs, faucet repairs, window repairs, etc...they all add up quickly.

I also encourage my clients to hire a licensed home inspector to visit their home at least once every two years, if not on a yearly basis. Having a fresh set of eyes looking at the structure & mechanical systems - and getting into the places we usually don't want to go (the dark, icky crawlspace, deep recesses of the attic, etc.) can pay off in dividends. Finding a small issue before it becomes a big issue can save thousands - if not tens of thousands - of dollars.

Joe Shoemaker
Principal Broker, REALTOR®
MacDuff Realty Group, LLC
317 413.8501
joe@joeshoe.com
http://www.macduffrealty.com

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