Mortgage Monday: The Other Monthly Checks

In addition to writing a check to the bank each month to slowly pay down our mortgage, there are also a variety of other checks that have to be taken care of on a monthly basis. Again, this is not something that I am used to doing but a monthly project that brings a sense of satisfaction as this is a home we now own. And while there are checks of the monetary kind that I regularly write, these are not the ones to which I am referring…

We want to make sure that we keep up on the maintenance of our home while also heading off any issues that may exist. This is why I tend to go around the house every once in a while, usually a few times per month, looking for little things (and big things too). Are the windows drafty? Are there any water stains? Is the heat working in all four zones? Are the gutters clear? Are any of the fixtures leaking? These are the kinds of questions that I try to ask myself as I walk about the house looking in corners and keeping an ear open to any sounds of water, pinging, clanking, etc.

While I don’t expect to find anything it is well worth the time to invest in these basic checks as we are still under warranty (part of our original deal during purchase) and any issues that come up would most likely be covered under that policy. Basically, it is all about making sure everything is running the way it should be. After all, this is no longer simply a place in which we are living as in the past, this is our home and we want to make sure that everything continues to be kept in great shape.

And, as the seasons and weather changes, I will be sure to check the same things as well as different systems around the house. The various filters are something that will be checked regularly but, as the weather warms, the air conditioning will also have to be looked at. We didn’t have any issues with inspections, only minor things here and there that were taken care of before we moved in, but we want to make sure that things are operational and that they are the right systems to have in place.

Maybe we will upgrade or change the air conditioning, heat, windows, flooring, etc. We will have to wait and see and continue to go through our check list every month. Then we will know what needs to be replaced (if anything), what we want to replace, and what we might consider doing in the future. So far everything is great but you never know… this is why I have to take care of so many checks each month.

Mortgage Monday: Taking A Chance

This was the first attempt... really glad it fell through!

I am going to take a step back for a moment in this series and actually talk about a few months prior to us moving into the house. By the time the summer was coming to an end, my wife and I had a big decision that we had to make. Our lease was set to end today and while we had been looking at houses for some time, and we were under agreement on a property, there were no guarantees. While we usually take a more careful approach to situations, we decided to take a chance and give our notice that we will be not renewing our lease. So, when we sent our rent check in late August for the month of September, we included a note that, in accordance with our lease, we were not going to be renewing.

Technically, we had a place that, at the time, we thought we would be living but, as September slowly trudged on, that reality quickly dissolved and we soon found ourselves without a place to live come December. It was an interesting feeling of uncertainty and one that had us contemplating whether we should try to extend our lease but it was also freeing in the fact that it was one less thing to think about as we continued to search for a home. If anything, it certainly served as a motivator to get things done and step up our efforts to find a home.

Things do happen for a reason and our house hunt definitely proved that point. Within a week of terminating the agreement on the first house (based on inspections), we reached an agreement on a second, far superior, home. After talking with the bank the following week and shortening the escrow to 45 days, we knew that we would be moving and would be making the transition from a house to a home by the end of November. As it turns out, taking that chance in late August was going to pay off.

Contrary to the first ordeal which was rife with misleading statements and answers that didn’t match up with the facts and documents from the county, the process for the second house went as smooth as we could have hoped for and now that second house is now our home. No more renting, no more moving, and no more uncertainty about where we are going to be living this time next year or the year after. We are home.