I am always trying to find the perfect gift for new homeowners. Is there one that is perfect? If there is that ONE then I haven’t found it. Just as all people are unique, so is that perfect gift!
Gift List for the First Time Homebuyer!
There are so many checklists of what new home buyers need to do, purchase, etc. but what can you do for someone you know who is about to embark on the biggest investment of their lives – and one of the most exciting? This list has a variety of items that range from free to inexpensive, especially if a few of you go in together – such as a 1/4 cord of wood. This list is better for Fall or Winter home purchases. We’ll have another list in Spring.
- Subscription to Handyman and/or Consumer Reports.
- Share an online calendar with them with reminders for maintenance tasks such as gutters, seeding the lawn, changing filters, winterizing the pipes and vents, chimney maintenance and add in numbers/website locations for recommended resources for these services.
- Subscription to local community paper – either printed or online.
- Gift cards for your favorite restaurants, coffee houses and bars near their new home – or ask for recommendations for them if it’s a brand new area or state.
- Get them a photo frame and take a photo of them on their new front step with keys in hand to commemorate the occasion.
- If they have a wood burning fireplace, go in with a few people and get them a 1/4 cord of wood delivered and stack it for them. Encourage them to invite you all to stay for dinner after or to watch the game. 😉
- Basic repair items for vertical blinds, holes in the wall, picture hanging hooks – good ones like Ooks.
- Cleaning package that includes the dishwasher and washing machine soaps best for their model, fresh sponges, furniture polish/wax/markers to repair any dings from the move. If they have a lot of black stuff, matte black nail polish works wonders on small dings.
- Mulling spices for the stove for holidays or one of those Scentsy type of oil air fresheners for the seasons.
- Traditional welcome package: Bag of oranges, loaf of bread, bottle of wine.
- Grilling tools if they have a new grill outside.
- If they have a glass cooktop – get them the special cleaner for that to keep it shiny. This stuff works well >
- Does their new home have a lot of trees that will drop leaves? Get them some leaf bags to be ready and a good leaf rake.
- Everyone needs an electric drill/screwdriver. Go in with someone so you don’t have to get the cheap store brands. Go Black and Decker or better. Nail guns with nails are handy too.
- Do they now have eaves for hanging lights? Help them out and get them those clips that fit under the eaves to hold the lights tidy and give them a gift card from you to help hang them the first season. Who knows, you may start a tradition.
- What about lights to line their walkway? The Dollar Store has lights, usually. You can also get sets online or inexpensively at Home Depot.
- How about a dozen pavers to give them a path that’s not muddy in the rainy season? Pavers can come from your local garden center – your goal is just to make it not muddy to start. They can replace them later, but you will help them until their lawn grows in or back in spring.
- Do they have a screened in porch? With a hammock and cozy blanket, they can still enjoy kicking back out there right into winter.
- Small deck or yard? How about a small chimnia? That’s a portable fireplace. This is another thing to go in with a few people. Check their HOA/CCRs about these. They may not be permitted.
- Make them a bench from wood and bricks – inexpensive and from the heart. A welcome place to spend time together or for them.
- Power outages happen. Get them a set of LED flashlights – you can buy them in bulk. Same with extra fuses for the fuse box.
- Flooding can happen too. A big box of heavy duty trash bags just in case they have to quickly protect their belongings.
- A list of emergency numbers they can have in the garage or mudroom, including spaces for their insurance company/policy number.
- Offer to take away their moving boxes and get them recycled.
- Return address labels.
Hopefully there are items on this list that work for you. How exciting for your friends or family member! Most of the items can be shipped directly, too, if you are far away, but still want to celebrate with them.
Are you or someone you know ready to be that First Time Homebuyer?
Contact us and lets get started down the path to find you your dream home today! Interest rates are rising but we are still at historically low rates. Take advantage!
