What ALL Do You Need to Know When Buying in College Station?

Buying a home in College Station for the first time at times can be intimidating. With financing, which house, which location, how many bedrooms you need....it can seem like it will never end. Then...

• You figure out which one you want.
• Your Realtor negotiates a great purchase price.
• Your inspections come back showing the house is structurally sound.
• You finish your mortgage process.
• You go to closing at<!--more--> the title company.
• Then... woo-hoo, you move in and everything is great!

Until something breaks and you realize there is not landlord to call. Everything now belows to YOU. Hopefully you have a home warranty on the home! (Be sure to talk with your Realtor about this prior to purchase!!!) To prevent potential problems after you move in, here are a few basic maintenance tips. Eventually everything does wear out but maintenance is an inexpensive option to keep up your home and the appliances running compared to replacement.

HVAC systems – Read the owner’s manual. This will often explain how the system works. Change the filter once a month. Do a visual inspection every once and a while. This can really help to spot a leak or malfunction before it grows and becomes expensive. Also, take a look at the hoses to make sure that there are no cracks or weak areas. Having a yearly inspection by a professional is key to having your HVAC system run smoothly.

Refrigerators –Once a year, pull out your fridge and vacuum the coils to help keep it running colder and more efficient. It is also a great way to find an array of interesting items you forgot you had.

Water Heater -It is not very well known but they really do need yearly maintenance. Sediment builds up through normal use so once a year -

• Turn it off.
• Drain
• Flush

Water heaters are often ignored until they break and make a huge mess. Where is your water heater? Garage? Attic? Imagine the mess if it is in the attic and the water leaks out.... Check the owner’s manual to get specific instructions. If you don’t have one check out DIYnetwork.com.

Clothes Dryer - Is it taking longer than usual to dry your clothes? You may need to clean the filter. Not just the one in the dryer, the outside filter. Once clogged up you may notice that it takes an eternity to dry a load of wash.

  Susan Hilton Century 21 Beal, Inc. (979) 764-2100

http://susanhilton.com/2010/11/20/what-all-do-yo…ollege-station/