Owning a home is great...when things don't go wrong. Sometimes, things happen unexpectedly. Rather than stressing out, you can apply these three things...

Knowledge Is Power

It’s important you take the time to learn the basics of home maintenance. For example…

- Do you how to reset a breaker?

- If you’re going on a trip, do you know how to turn off the water to your home/condo?

- If you live in a condo: What happens if you saw water dripping down from your ceiling? Who do you call and what do you do?

If you don't know, ask someone. Start with your Realtor. Talk to your parents. Talk to your friends who are new homeowners too. If your home belongs to a homeowners association, speak with the resident/site manager. With time, you will slowly increase your home maintenance knowledge.

Assess The Situation And Call A Vendor

Doing nothing won’t fix the problem. When it comes to homeownership, you have to proactive. For example, a client recently informed me that she found termite droppings in her home. I drove over to her condo to assess the situation. When I realized there was dry wood termites in her door frame, I called my pest/termite vendor. Thankfully, the pest inspector had an opening in his schedule; he was able to spot treat later that day.

Termite infestation is a serious problem because not doing anything could have caused more damage to my client’s property. It’s important you act accordingly.

Document, Document, And Document

After the problem gets fixed, it’s important you document what happened. Make sure you…

- Write down a detailed summary of what occurred. Don’t forget to list dates, times, vendors, etc.

- Take pictures of the repair.

- Store away invoices and receipts. Don’t forget to make a digital copy too!

Documenting these things can be time consuming. However, it will pay off in the long run because you will have an accurate maintenance log of your home.

-RO

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