As a first-time homebuyer myself, I can tell you – a home is so much more responsibility than I realized. This isn’t to scare you by any means. It is to encourage you to have a game plan, a loose expectation of what owning a home looks like, and to always be maintaining you home. You’ve just got a new part time job in homeownership – you don’t get paid, but you do reap the benefit in possibly keeping or improving your investment.
Most of my energy was focused on updating and fixing issues within our home upon moving in. However, I’d encourage you to focus on your yard, too! Here are the things I’d check on upon moving in!
- Check for flooding/wet spots in your lawn. Sometimes the layout of your home, or the layout of the land, can set you up for water pooling in certain places. It may be hard to notice until after a good rain, but if you notice wet spots, you may want to consider a rain garden or installing drains to prevent this.
- Check for critters. Your new yard may have been home to snakes, gophers, turtles, etc. This could be because of tall grass, or no one living there – or you may just live in a more rural area. Be mindful of these animals when you mow your lawn. If you need to draw them away from your yard, consider consulting a professional.
- Check for pests. Hornets, wasps, oh my! Nests in your yard or around your home can be a serious danger, especially to children playing outside in the summer. If you want to try to relocate or exterminate – be sure to consult a professional. Be sure not to exterminate bees! Please have them relocated by a professional as they make honey, pollinate our plants, and tend not to sting like hornets or wasps. Also, certain bees are legally protected.
- Check for holes/uneven spaces. You don’t want a friend or family member to turn their ankle in a hole you didn’t know about in your yard. If you do have a hole or uneven spot, try to fill it, warn people, or mark it in some way.
- Check vegetation or plants close to your home/growing on your home. Vines may crowd your home and invade your siding or cause serious disruption under your home. They can attract bugs and moisture – so it’s best to get rid of this growth around your home. You may need to spray to keep it eradicated. In the midst of your yard work, you may run into some unwanted plants like poison ivy. If you do, be sure to treat it!
The best way to help your yard is to keep up with seasonal maintenance and to fix things as you notice them, not when it’s convenient to fix it.
