The start of a new year is a great time to start thinking about what you’d like to achieve in the months ahead. Every January, people here in Chicago and across the country start setting down their biggest resolutions for the year. In fact, studies show that about half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year.
For some people, this list of resolutions may include exercising more, starting up a new hobby, or taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip. And for plenty of others, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to turn their attention to their home, and start planning for their biggest real estate dreams — whether that means buying, selling, or renovating a property in the twelve months to come.
So, what are your home resolutions for the New Year — and who do you have in your corner to help transform your loftiest goals into reality?
Still need some help setting your real estate resolutions for the year ahead? Focusing on what you’re hoping to achieve now can help set you up for greater success down the line. Here are a few “big ticket” resolutions to help get your checklist started as we enter 2023:
Buy a New Home
If buying a home is on your list of goals for the year ahead, you’re in good company. Many people enter the year hoping to dive into the spring market when it rolls around (along with sunny days and warmer weather). If your goal for 2023 is to purchase a new home, don’t forget to start planning for a home inspection.
For residential buyers, a home inspection is a powerful way to help make sure that your dream home will be safe and comfortable, for years to come. A home inspection is a non-invasive visual examination of the readily accessible systems and components of a home, led by an objective, unbiased expert. Over the course of an inspection, your professional will look for structural and mechanical concerns and potential safety hazards, examining hundreds of parts and systems including the roof, heating and air conditioning elements, and the water heater, to name just a few. At the end of the process, buyers will be provided with a report that details the inspector’s findings, including the condition and estimated age of the major systems of the home, along with any additional recommendations.
Here in Illinois, home inspection is considered to be a vital part of the buying process. It’s an effective way to get an understanding of a home’s condition, habitability, and safety before you commit to this major financial and personal investment. Nearly nine in ten homebuyers used a home inspector’s services for their most recent home purchase, and 86 percent of buyers who used a home inspection said that their inspector identified at least one problem that should be addressed.
Sell Your Home
Whether you’ve lived in your space for a few decades or a few years, making the decision to put your home on the market can be a big one. After all, selling a home is a major undertaking. Bringing on an experienced home inspector to perform a thorough and diligent visual examination is one way to help your sale go more smoothly.
For sellers, a pre-listing inspection can come with any number of benefits and advantages.
Working with a home inspector before selling your property can help identify affordable repairs, which helps enhance the marketability of your home. Having a pre-listing inspection can also help sellers demonstrate their commitment to making the sale, helping reduce distractions (and potential buyer questions and objections) along the way. Finally, remember that making a few small updates based on your inspector’s findings may even help the property sell more quickly, cutting down on the carrying costs you’ll have to pay while your home stays on the market.
Take On Some New Home Improvement Projects
The beginning of a new year can be a great opportunity to build out your “to-do” list and start checking it off, piece by piece!
Whether you have some time off work at the beginning of the year, or you simply have more opportunities to focus on indoor projects while the snow falls outside, the winter months can be a great time to start planning and executing some popular home maintenance projects, from painting your walls to swapping out your light fixtures.
If you’re planning on continuing on in your current home in the year to come, take some time to look around and see what potential home tasks and projects jump out to you. There are all sorts of DIY projects you may want to take on at this point in the year, like:
- Cleaning and decluttering
- Upgrading appliances and home systems
- Sealing up gaps and cracks in walls, or around doors and windows
- Adding additional shelves, built-ins, and storage solutions
- Painting walls
- Scrubbing tiles and grout in bathrooms and kitchens
- Repairing broken cabinets, windows, and doors
- Replacing air filters and cleaning vents
- Planning your landscaping for the spring and summer
The list goes on and on!
It may also be a great idea to bring in an extra set of eyes, to see if an outside expert has any ideas or recommendations that can help you protect or improve your property for the year to come.
An experienced, professional home inspector can be a great resource in helping you truly get the most out of the home you already own. Once you’ve purchased a property, it’s important to make sure that you maintain its safety features and structural and mechanical integrity.
It’s a good idea to have your home inspected every few years, to ensure that your property’s systems are functioning properly. Our team can offer home preservation inspections, helping you look for structural and mechanical concerns, potential safety hazards, and system maintenance issues. We can also provide additional services including mold testing, Radon testing, and termite and pest inspections.
Reach Your Goals With Windy City Home Inspection
Remember when we mentioned that around 50% of people admit to making resolutions? Well, research shows that less than 10 percent of those people are successful in making their New Year’s resolutions actually stick. One of the biggest steps you can take is to start working with a partner who knows what it takes to help you achieve your goals. That’s where we come in.
Ready to make 2023 the year that you start tackling your biggest home projects? Curious about what goes into the home inspection process here in Chicagoland? Looking for new guidance or insight from an experienced home inspection team? Our experts are here and ready to help.
With Windy City Home Inspection, buyers and sellers can expect a thorough, diligent inspection that never cuts corners. When searching for the right home inspector, it’s important to find someone you can trust — and that’s why we are here for you. The inspectors at Windy City Home Inspection, Inc. are licensed by the State of Illinois, certified, and insured. Each home inspection is backed by our Warranty and Protection Plan. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our superior customer service. If you ever have questions, even years after your home inspection, we will be here to answer them — even if it means returning to your home.
At Windy City Home Inspection, Inc., we perform inspections to the highest standards — yours. Backed by a consulting team with more than 60 years of experience, Windy City Home Inspection is committed to excellence. Have a question? We can help!
