There are plenty of maintenance concerns to think about when owning a home. Once you’ve completed your purchase and settled in comfortably, it’s important to remember that there will be no landlord to come around and fix those leaky faucets. You’ll need to either fix them yourself or pay to have a professional tackle the job.
Protecting Your Investment: Which Tools Do Homeowners Need?
Physical Tools
1. Claw Hammer
The claw hammer is a classic everyday tool for good reason. With a flat die that is perfect for pounding and a second side featuring a V-shaped notch for extracting nails and other household items from wall or wood safely.
2. Manual Screwdriver Set
Investing in a manual screwdriver set makes it easy to assemble furniture, tighten cabinet doors, remove light switch covers and so much more. Look for a set with multiple blade tips and sizes to get the most from your kit.
3. Cordless Drill
While slightly more expensive than other household tools, a cordless drill will come in very handy over the years. Whether you need to hang a new art piece securely or it’s time to drill a few bolts for your new flat-screen TV, a battery-powered drill will help you get the task done quickly and efficiently.
Financial Tools
1. HomeBudget App
When purchasing a new home, you’ll likely find that the spending doesn’t slow down for quite some time after all the necessary paperwork is completed. With this handy app, you can enter your spending directly after each purchase and share it with other authorized users in your household to keep track of your budget.
2. FileThis
You’re also likely to have a huge amount of important paperwork to keep track of after closing on your new home. If you’re the type of person who struggles to organize your ever-growing stack of financial paperwork, this tool can help. Essentially, this tool works as a digital filing cabinet, logging and organizing your paperwork in a user-friendly system that works.
3. Puddle
Feeling a little cash-strapped after the move? Puddle makes it easy for users to borrow and lend money with friends or loved ones via small, short-term loans. Whether you need extra cash to paint the living room or you want to invest in a home security system, Puddle is designed to help you manage personal loans for a period between 3 and 6 months.
Enjoy Your New Home
You never know what kind of twists and turns life can throw at you after becoming a homeowner. In the event of an emergency, it’s best to have a fully stocked physical and financial toolbox to help keep your life and finances on track.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
