Happy New Year! 

The new year is a time to reflect and begin anew – we make resolutions to improve ourselves and our lives.  As a homeowner, what are your Home Resolutions for 2013?  Most homeowners, at any given time, have at least a handful of ideas for home improvement projects that might range from re-painting the powder room to a major kitchen remodel.   So what are your New Year’s Home Resolutions?

To insure your Home Resolutions aren’t just dreams, but actually become reality, it’s a good idea to make a plan and write it all down – fit smaller projects in between larger ones.  Many families make it a point to complete one “major” project in their home each year – This is a terrific way to stay on top of maintenance items and, keep reminding yourself that half the fun of home ownership is always having a project to look forward to!

Of course, some of the items on your list are going to be “need to” (maintenance) items and some will be “want to” (decorating) items.  Think about the age and condition of your home’s systems and finishes, and try to put the projects into a logical order, and then assign a ballpark budget to each (so you know about how much to save up).  If an Improvement increases energy efficiency and/or will save you money in the long run, that might also help determine its placement on your list (sooner rather than later).

Once you have written down your Home Resolutions and have your plan, keep it handy!  You will want to review and tweak your plan as you complete projects, add projects and re-arrange priorities.

You will also want to document the projects as you complete them.  A good idea is to keep a Home Improvement Log where you can note the date, scope and cost of each completed project.  Keep receipts and warranty information in a companion folder.  Your Log may also come in handy for insurance purposes and will save you time when you want to sell your home – – remember all those Seller’s Property Disclosure forms you looked at when you were home shopping?  And, in addition to creating a more attractive and comfortable home for your family, a well-maintained and up-to-date home will fetch a higher sales price when you do want to sell!

Many people also document their project with before and after photos (create a board on Pinterest!) and some even use video (archive them on YouTube) – it can be amazing to look back on years’ worth of these photos to see how far you and your home have come, especially if you started out with a total fixer-upper!

So, look around your home and then go ahead and make your New Year’s Home Resolutions!  And remember, when your Home Resolutions include selling the home you have and/or buying a new home, contact Maine Home Realty and we will be pleased to help you with your plan!