Congratulations on your first home purchase! As a first-time homeowner, it’s time to start thinking about the future. Make sure you stay ahead of the game and check off all 10 essential home maintenance tasks this year! Buying a house is only part of the equation when it comes to real estate. Maintaining your home is just as important for staying ahead in the long run. Moving forward into 2023 and beyond, make sure to stay on top of MLS listings and real estate for sale. This way, you’ll know what homes are selling for when it comes time to sell yours!
1. Replace the HVAC Filters:
A few annual home maintenance tasks can be easily forgotten, or pushed to the back burner when life gets busy. Replacing your HVAC filters should not be one of these! Doing so will keep your system working well and avoid those nasty, costly repairs down the road – money that could better be used towards your real estate dreams! Whether you’re thinking about selling homes for sale, browsing MLS listings, or even looking to buy a house yourself, keeping up on simple maintenance like replacing your HVAC filter is key to functioning at your best.
2. Clean Out Your Gutters:
It might not be at the top of your list in terms of priority, but cleaning out your gutters can save you a lot of grief in the long run. Keep in mind, if you’re looking to buy a home and in the process of checking MLS listings, homes for sale, or real estate for sale, proper gutter maintenance should be included on the checklist! Clogged gutters can cause water damage or roof leaks—sure-fire ways to ruin a perfect real estate purchase. So hire a professional or do it yourself; at least make sure to clean them out periodically to protect your investment as well as your hard-earned money.
3. Inspect Your Roof:
Inspecting your roof might not be the most exciting thing to do on a weekend, but it’s definitely one of the most important things you can do for your real estate. At least once a year, take a good look at your roof and ensure there aren’t any missing shingles, signs of moss or algae growth, or other scars from wear and tear that could signal potential problems. If anything does seem out of place, it’s best to address it immediately rather than waiting for it to develop into an issue requiring expensive repair or replacement. When you’re ready to buy or sell a home–or even just browse nearby MLS listings or homes for sale near you–investing some time into the condition of your roof will go a long way in protecting your real estate investment!
4. Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
Taking just a few minutes to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is an important part of ensuring your family’s safety. Your real estate agent might be able to offer advice if you’re looking for homes for sale near you, or MLS listings in your area – but they can’t replace any old batteries you may need or inspect your detectors. Performing regularly scheduled detector tests and making sure that the batteries are fresh will save you headaches down the line and help protect what matters most; whether it be when you buy a house, sell one, renew a lease, or just upgrade the place you currently call home.
5. Clean Your Drains:
To make sure all the pipes in your home stay trouble-free, it pays to be proactive. Stock up on drain cleaner so you can use it several times throughout the year to prevent clogs from forming—it’s much easier (and cheaper!) than dealing with a major obstruction down the line. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a more natural option, a combination of baking soda and white vinegar is an effective way to dissolve stubborn blockages! Remember: when it comes to real estate, investing a bit of time and energy now could save you a ton of time and money down the road when shopping for homes for sale or checking out MLS listings. With these tips in mind, happy real estate hunting!
6. Seal Air Leaks Around Doors & Windows:
Looking to buy a house? Before you start browsing MLS listings, add “air leak sealing” to your real estate checklist. Sealing air leaks around windows and doors not only helps reduce energy costs for homes for sale near you, but also ensures that you won’t get an uncomfortable blast of cold air when the temperature drops during winter months! In other words, managing air leakage is a great way to make sure that your new home purchase won’t become an expensive headache down the line.
7. Inspect Outdoor Faucets & Sprinklers:
It’s easy to take outdoor faucets and sprinklers for granted when searching for homes for sale near you, but make sure that these components are functioning properly as part of your real estate inspection in order to avoid costly repairs! Checking your outdoor faucets and sprinklers before you start browsing MLS listings or real estate for sale should be part of the home buying process, as it’s a critical step toward identifying the most valuable property option and ensuring its dependability. After all, buying a house is an investment that needs all of its pieces to work together. Making sure these features are in proper order helps preserve the performance and value of your home over time!
8. Prune Trees & Shrubs Regularly:
If you’re searching homes for sale and hoping to find the perfect MLS listings with real estate for sale, you may want to take care of any trees or shrubs around your house. Regularly trimming branches that get too close to power lines or other dangerous areas near your property line should be a top priority when buying a house. Protecting both your home and those of neighbors nearby is a win-win situation that any buyer or homeowner should seriously consider!
9 .Check Caulking & Weatherstripping Around Doors & Windows :
If you’re searching for real estate, whether it be homes for sale or MLS listings – knowing how to properly insulate these homes is essential. Before buying a house, make sure to inspect the caulking around windows and doors to ensure they have an effective seal against the hot and cold temperatures that fluctuate throughout the year. If any damage is found, reapply weatherstripping accordingly; this will allow you to save money in the long run on energy bills!
10 .Clean Dryer Vents Annually :
When it comes to the dream of homeownership, most people find themselves focused on finding the perfect real estate listing through scanning MLS listings or searching homes for sale. But here’s a reminder you may have forgotten – be sure not to forget about cleaning out dryer vents annually! You definitely don’t need any additional hazards when buying a house and dirt and lint buildup can be one of them if not taken care of in time. So don’t put yourself (and your real estate for sale dreams) at risk – make annual dryer vent cleaning part of your regular fire safety maintenance routine.
Now is the best time to take care of all those tedious tasks related to keeping your home running smoothly. It’s easy to procrastinate but the dollar you spend now in terms of maintenance and insurance for your real estate could save you hundreds or even thousands down the line—not to mention a whole lot of headache. To that extent, why wait? Visit an MLS listing website or start researching homes for sale and put your plan into motion today! An ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure when it comes to real estate buying – make sure you build a solid foundation before you decide to buy a house and enjoy worry-free living in 2023!
