First Time Homeowner

[Bjjams]

Well I’m buying my first home. It’s a foreclosure property in pretty good shape. It has been winterized as the heat is currently off. A few of things I have to do right away is get the furnace and hot water heater going. I’m wondering if anyone has any good tips to make everything go smooth. I plan on pretty much changing the filters and try to fire it up.

I also have to paint the whole inside and get window treatments. What are drawbacks to getting the cheap Menards blinds as opposed to the higher end ones? I’m on a limited budget so I can’t spend 150 bucks a window. The only problem I see with painting is doing the entry way over the stairs (it’s a split entry). Do those Little Giant ladders work well for this? I know they are a little spendy but I don’t know how else to reach the top of the walls over stairs?

[Deep_Sinker]

Congrats on the home purchase! With regards to your furnace, I would spend the money to have a heating company come fire it up. They will service it as well. They say doing this saves 15% on heating costs. I have mine serviced for under $100. The hot water heater should be fine, but they may be able to help you out there as well.

I have a couple thoughts on painting:

1) buy the best paint. behr has treated me well even though it is a little more, coverage is 100 times better. Actually, the cheap paints will cost you more as they will need more coats, so better paint saves $$$ and time.

2) For painting walls and such, you should be able to get at it will a roller attached to a expandable pole. Any ladder should work for the cutting in if needed.

Well, good luck and have fun! You'll be amazed at how quickly $100 disappears at Menards/Home Depot.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Menards (or any home improvement store) will sell a handle that'll reach out about 20', so you can reach that area.

There was just a news story about this the other night on channel 9, about buying a foreclosure. They said the most important thing would be to get the house inspected.

If you already bought it, then pretty much too late for that.

We've just got the Menards-type blinds in a house we completely redid for the mother-in-law. Been in there 4 years now and they look just fine.

It's nice, because they'll custom cut them for whatever length you need.

[New Yankee]

BJJAMS - congrats as well. It's pretty scary to sign that mortgage the first time, it gets easier every time you do it

One of the best pieces of advice I received on home ownership regarding tools, lawn movers, snow blowers and the like is if you can't buy top quality, wait until you can, or you'll end up with two of everything, one cheap one and the second one you'll use.

Obviously, budgets affect things, but in my experience, the above rings (and I've got two of somethings now...) true.

Seems like when we shop for anything from furniture to washer/dryers we could save time when shopping buy simply asking "where is the most expensive one of these things you have" because we often end up with that anyway.....

[Bjjams]

As far as having inspected I got a 40 page report from the city of St. Cloud (HUD) and they had everything on there. They tested everything from the appliances to plumbing, electrical and everything in between. There still might be some issues but I got it at cheap enough that it would have to be major in order to get screwed. The house is actually only 4 years old.

As far as paint I saw Menards had some good stuff on sale this week that I will pick up. I figured I could get the majority with an extending roller but what about the very top next to ceiling? I don't see any good way but to get up there on a ladder to do a good job.

[Bobby Bass]

Have your furnace serviced, good idea. You can buy extension for paint rollers and they also make an attachment for brushes. Paint the walls same color as ceiling and you will not have to worry about cutting in. Mini Blinds at Menards don't last forever but they put them on sale so much you can just replace them instead of trying to clean them. Little Giant ladders are spendy if you are a home owner you might be better off buying a good 6-8' step ladder. Also the 18" scaffolds are a handy tool for painting and installing blinds. Everyone has a favorite paint I do a lot of painting for my clients and I prefer Evermore a Glidden paint at Home Depot. Another trick is to have them tint your primer to the same color as what you are going to paint. I am sure with a new house there are some colors there that you may be shaking your head at. As I have on my brochure, "Get a house, you got a hobby" have fun..

[anyfishwilldo]

Don't waste your money on the little giant. They have the exact same ladder at home depot, called a gorilla. They had a 5-10ft step, and it is a 10-20ft extension. They used to be $200.

[IFallsRon]

Lyons Heating in Sauk Rapids has helped me through two houses.

[colonel42]

Instead of buying an expensive ladder there is alway the option of renting one. Call a buddy and borrow one. I do it all the time. I have friend call me asking to borrow my stuff too. Kind of senseless to purchase an item that your going to use for a day then store in the garage for the next time you use it. Wait until your money situation is is better and then buy one. One little bit of info I have learned the hard way. Work on one room at a time or one project. It make life a tad easier. When I bought my house I gutted the whole thing in the first two weeks. Then got to live in it for the next six year trying to get it to the way I wanted it. Little easier budgeting it one room at a time.

[Mudcat21]

My wife buy's our blinds from an online supplier. Decent blinds for fraction of the cost. Google "Decorate Today"

[Ebiz]

I've got a great place that I buy my blinds from online, good quality at a good price. I know I can't post the link but e-mail me and I'll get it to you.

[email protected]

[Bjjams]

Thanks for the reply but I already have the blinds on order and should be here anyday now.

On an update I'm all moved in and everything went smooth except the painting. Well honestly it went smooth but what a pain in the ace. Everything fired right up, no pipe freezes and all the appliances worked. Now if they keep working, (knock on wood), I will be extremely happy with my purchase.