There are many steps to follow when purchasing a new home. One you should never skip is your final walkthrough. If you do skip this step, you might unwittingly take on large financial burdens that you had not planned for.

“It allows the buyer and their agent to check the property for any new signs of damage, inspect appliances and systems, and ensure that the home is reasonably clean and in good condition,” says Baruch Silvermann, CEO and founder of The Smart Investor, a free online academy for investors, and a real estate investor himself.

It is a good idea to always take your Realtor to the walkthrough. If there is a problem your agent can make a huge impact when addressing the problem. Take your phone to take pictures, videos and notes. Here are some additional tips you should follow during your final walkthrough.

Check the electrical system. If one switch or outlet does not work, that could be a sign of a bigger problem with the wiring. Go through your home and check the security system, doorbell and garage door as well as the outlets and light switches.

Run the AC/Heating. This should be one of the first things to check in the home. The HVAC is a very important unit and one of the most vital systems in the home.

“The big problem with heating systems is that part of the unit could be outside – the compressor, coil, electrical components, and fan – making it difficult to find the fault,” says Silvermann. “Other common problems can be related to lack of gas, corrosion, or a faulty compressor.”

Look for wet spots. Leaks can cause things such as mold and rotten wood. The repercussions can be termites and even worse foundation issues which can be expensive repairs.

“Visually look around for wet areas on the ceiling or discoloration from leaks by windows,” says Jeff Lichtenstein, owner of Echo Fine Properties in Florida.

Run anything mechanical. Go through and flush all the toilets, run the dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and all the fans (including ceiling fans and exhaust fans). It would be a disappointment to move into your home and then find out that the dishwasher is not working after you have closed.

Inspect the bathrooms. According to Remodeling Magazine, bathroom remodels retain their value at resale. It is important to check the toilets to make sure they are not running, and turn on all the faucets to make sure they work correctly.

“Check that bathrooms are free of water damage, standing water, and mold by the shower, sink, and base of the toilet,” says Silvermann, who says mold can develop within days, so it’s worth taking a close look after the inspection.

Take a look around outside. Make sure all the exterior doors and windows are properly sealed.

“Any small leak can cause the heating and air conditioning system to operate at higher power and raise the electricity bill,” says Silvermann. “And check wood and concrete around the exterior of the home for cracks and water damage.”

Following these six tips can help with the walkthrough process. Make sure to take give a copy of your inspection to the seller so the items will be corrected before closing.

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When it comes to your home, you want to make it is your own space with timeless pieces. Estate shutters are a good investment because they fit every style of interior and most any room in your house.

“Classic, sophisticated, timeless, this window treatment is never a mistake. They can be modern, contemporary, or traditional. They work everywhere,” said interior designer Karlie Adams, of Denver.

Here are six reasons why you should install estate shutters in your home.

The very first reason is obvious, it’s for the looks. Shutters are an element that can stand alone in almost any interior of a home. Shutters have a finished look on their own. Even the ancient Greeks used them in their homes back in 800 BC. Shutters have been around for an extremely long time because of their goods looks and sun-blocking ability.

Next, they are very versatile. They fit in all kinds of different style interiors and all different kinds of rooms. From informal to formal they work perfectly. The same shutter can work in a laundry room that is also in the formal dining room.

Another reason is control. Sometimes you want a dark room while other times you want an open and bright airy feel. Shutters can allow you to control privacy, light, and airflow which keep your home cool and save energy.

Color choice is another good reason. Shutters can come in a variety of colors and can also be stained. Most people choose white shutters because they reflect the sun and heat. In fact, over 90% of the shutters sold, said Nathan Swartz, who owns Shutter Professionals, in Orlando are white.

Longevity is a great reason to install shutters. “People like shutters because they never have to cover their windows again,” said Swartz. Curtains fade and also change in style with the design trends. Shutters also do not have mechanical parts that break or not cords that can be a risk to children or animals.

The last reason and most important reason is for resale value. Realtors will include shutters in their descriptions but will skip out on blinds and curtains. This is a great added bonus to a buyer. Shutters are rarely ever changed out like curtains or blinds.

Remember if you are planning to add these classic window treatments to your home, shop and compare prices and samples.

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Purchasing a home is a huge event in a person’s lifetime. There are so many steps and hurdles to go through and once the home buying process has ended, it is now time to focus on giving your home a personalized touch.

Your new home is a blank slate just waiting for you to design and create the perfect living space for your family. Here are some tips on how to get started during the first 30 days in your new home.

Take time to focus on your vision. Visualizing and planning your space is a very important step that you do not want to rush through. Do not rush to get everything set up in the space. Live in the space for a few days to plan the best path for each room. If kids are in the picture, give them the task of deciding on a theme for their new bedroom. Getting the whole family involved will make your new house feel like home for the whole family.

Use what you already have. This is a perfect budget-friendly way to personalize your new house. Find ways to use the furniture that you are bringing from your last home. Cherished memories are attached to many of our items. Using items that you already own makes your new house feel like a home.

Paint for today and tomorrow. Painting your entire home is a feat in itself. Once you have your vision, take smaller steps. Pick a few rooms to start with or accent walls and remember to paint for the future and not just today. Use a timeless color over a trendy color that will be out of style in a few years. Another quick and easy way to add your colorful mark on your new house is to paint the front door.

Choose decor that inspires. Choose decor with a meaning behind it. Something free can be just as priceless to you as something that is extremely expensive. Choose an item that says something to you and about you. Using objects that are important to you is a fantastic way to personalize your new home.

Buy some new basics. If you are moving into a larger space, you will need to purchase new furniture but this is not the only reason to purchase new items for your new space. Upgrading some of your old items will also add to your new vision for your home. This can be an expensive task so choose one or two items to splurge on within the first month.

Grow with the flow. As mentioned before, live in your home for a few days to get a feel of the space. In order for a new house to feel like a home, it needs to be lived in. Even though you have a vision for your space, that vision needs to be flexible. You will change and grow in your home.

Remember even though this seems like a huge undertaking, by taking small steps and following these tips, your new house will feel like a home in no time.

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The shelter-in-place orders have most Americans working from home. This huge shift in where we spend our time has changed the way certain specialty rooms are viewed. The National Association of Home Buyer’s (NAHB) data that was just collected shows that specialty rooms such as home offices and exercise rooms are on the must list for current home buyers.

The certain preference study data comes from the NAHB’s What Home Buyers Really Want. The survey asks recent and current home buyers what features they want in a home and a community. The most recent study was conducted in 2018 but the NAHB believes this trend will only grow with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Houzz.com recently conducted a survey that concluded that 55% of homeowners and practitioners have a home office, 25% work from their kitchen or dining room table, and 11% work from their sofa. The study also looked at the challenges the country is currently facing working from home. Thirty-percent find it hard to find a quiet location away from high-traffic living areas while 25% have trouble with getting a strong Wi-Fi connection as well as creating a comfortable workspace.

Working from home has become the norm and here are a few quick tips to enhance the space from NAR’s Realtor Magazine. Pick the right location such as a spare bedroom, dining room, den, or any quieter space you can find. Always make sure your lighting is perfect in the space to avoid eye strain. Last, make it ergonomic by arranging your chair, desk, computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone in a safe and efficient way. Make sure you are comfortable, this will allow for a more productive work from home day.

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When buying a home there are many steps to the process. Once you have made an offer, you need to make sure you have money for a down payment, but that is not all the money you will need to bring to the table. Many homebuyers do not take into account closing costs. This can come as an unpleasant surprise, but if you understand closing costs and have saved for them, the home-buying process will run much smoother.

First, you will need to understand what closing costs actually are. This is important to the buyer because most of the closing costs are the buyer’s responsibility. Closing costs consist of the many fees for the services and expenses it takes to finalize a mortgage. Typically they are broken down into property-related fees, loan-related fees, mortgage insurance fees, property tax and homeowners insurance and title fees.

More importantly, is how much are closing costs? The amount usually runs between 2% and 5% of your loan amount. So if you have a $300,000 home purchase, your closing costs would run between $6,000 to $15,000. The best way to pay for them is out of pocket all at once. Some lenders do allow you to finance them by merging them into the loan, but you will end up paying more because of interest over the life of the mortgage. Some states, counties and cities offer low-interest rate loan programs and grants for first time home buyer’s closing costs.

Next, let’s look at the property-related fees that are included in the closing costs. These include the appraisal fee and the home inspection fee. When purchasing a home you will need to know how much the property is worth and what shape the property is in. A certified professional appraiser will be sent to the home to evaluate the home’s worth. This is very important when obtaining a mortgage. The lender needs to know if the property is worth the amount that you want to borrow. A lender wants to make sure they can recoup the value of the home if you default on your loan. Typically the appraisal fee will run between $300 to $400. A home inspection is required when getting a mortgage. A lender wants to make sure the home is structurally sound and in good enough shape to live in. A home inspection fee usually runs between $300 to $500.

Other fees included are loan-related fees. First, there is the application fee which covers the costs of processing your application. These costs usually include credit checks and administrative expenses. Assumption fees can also be included when there is an assumable mortgage that you are taking over from the seller. Many states will require the use of an attorney at the closing. This will add attorney fees which will vary depending on the amount of work the attorney does for you. Pre-paid interest fees are also included. Lenders typically require you to pay the interest that accrues on the mortgage between the date of settlement and the first monthly payment due date. The biggest chunk of loan-related fees goes to the loan origination fee a.k.a the underwriting fee, administrative fee, or processing fee. This fee is the cost for the evaluating and preparing of your mortgage loan. This cost is about 0.5% of the loan amount. Just like a realtor, if you work with a mortgage broker, there will be a fee. A broker commission will usually be about 0.5% to 2.75% off the home’s purchase price.

Mortgage insurance fees are also included. These include mortgage insurance application fees, upfront mortgage insurance and FHA, VA and USDA fees. Mortgage insurance application fees are included if you make a downpayment of less than 20% of your mortgage. Upfront mortgage fees are there because many lenders require first-time borrowers to pay the first year mortgage insurance premium upfront. FHA, VA, and USDA fees will be tacked on if the Federal Housing Administration insures you, Department of Veterans Affairs, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For an FHA you will pay 1.75% of the loan amount, for the VA loan you will pay between 1.25% to 3.3% and the USDA will cost 1%.

Property taxes, annual fees and insurance will also need to be considered. Property taxes will cost about two months’ worth of city and county property taxes at closing. The homeowners association fees will also be required upfront as well as the homeowner’s insurance premium.

When purchasing a home one of the most important documents handled is the title. Title fees include the search fee (to make sure the title is clean and the seller really owns the property), the lender’s title insurance (this protects the lender in case there is an error in the title search) and owner’s title insurance (this protects the buyer if the title comes up with any problems).

So there will be no surprises before you go to closing, mortgage documents will be given to you prior to closing. The loan estimate and the closing disclosure are the two most important. The loan estimate details all the fees, interest rate and other closing costs for your loan and the closing disclosure confirms what was written in the loan estimate. These documents need to be read carefully before you go to closing.

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