(StatePoint) Becoming a first-time homeowner is a remarkable achievement, but the journey doesn’t end at closing. With today’s market challenges, making your new house feel like home can seem daunting. The good news: with thoughtful planning and proven DIY tips, you can create a space that’s beautiful, functional and uniquely yours, without stretching your budget.
Budgeting and Planning
kAm~?6 @7 E96 3:886DE C62D@?D E@ sx*n *@F 42? D2G6 D6C:@FD 5@==2CD] x? 724E[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6C5H2==6E]4@>^2CE:4=6^>@CE8286D^9@>6@H?6CD9:A^9@>6\:>AC@G6>6?E^DA6?5:?8\52E2\a_abQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm2 a_ac C6A@CE 3J }6C5(2==6Ek^2m D9@H65 E92E @? 2G6C286[ sx* AC@;64ED 4@DE =6DD E92? 92=7 @7 AC@76DD:@?2= AC@;64ED]k^Am
kAmq67@C6 368:??:?8 2?J sx* 6?562G@C[ 6DE23=:D9 J@FC 3F586E 2?5 2DD6DD H92E J@FC 9@FD6 ?665D[ AC:@C:E:K:?8 E96 >@DE 4@DE\67764E:G6 J6E :>A24E7F= FA52E6D] %2<6 2 EC:A E@ 2 =@42= 9@>6 :>AC@G6>6?E C6E2:=6C @C 5@ 2? @?=:?6 D62C49 E@ 82F86 4@DED]k^Am
kAm“(9:=6 :E’D E6>AE:?8 E@ 4FE 4@C?6CD @? 4@DED[ :?G6DE:?8 :? 9:89\BF2=:EJ AC@5F4ED FA\7C@?E 42? D2G6 J@F D:8?:7:42?E=J :? E96 =@?8 CF?] "F2=:EJ >2E6C:2=D @776C 5FC23:=:EJ 2?5 36EE6C A6C7@C>2?46[ >:?:>:K:?8 E96 ?665 7@C 7C6BF6?E C6A=246>6?ED @C C6A2:CD] %9:?< @7 :E 2D 3FJ:?8 A6246 @7 >:?5 – 2 H6==\49@D6? 72F46E[ DEFC5J 423:?6ECJ @C 5FC23=6 7=@@C:?8 42? 6=6G2E6 J@FC 9@>6 7@C J62CD E@ 4@>6[” D2:5 s2?:6==6 s6q@6 w2CA6C[ D6?:@C 4C62E:G6 DEJ=6 >2?286C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>@6?]4@>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|@6?k^2m]k^Am
kAm~?46 J@F 92G6 2 >2A @7 AC@;64ED :? A=246[ A=@E H96? J@F H2?E E@ E24<=6 6249 @?6 @? E96 42=6?52C]k^Am
kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i46?E6CQmkDEC@?8ms67:?:?8 *@FC w@>6’D p6DE96E:4k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmq67@C6 5:G:?8 :?[ 6?DFC6 J@F’C6 :?G6DE:?8 :? 2? 26DE96E:4 E92E C6D@?2E6D H:E9 J@F G6CDFD H92E :D EC6?5:?8 @?=:?6]k^Am
kAm“pD J@F 6>32C< @? E96 6I4:E:?8 AC@46DD @7 DEJ=:?8 J@FC 7:CDE 9@>6[ :E :D 6DD6?E:2= E@ 56E6C>:?6 J@FC A6CD@?2= E2DE6 D@ E92E :E ECF=J C67=64ED H9@ J@F 2C6[” D2:5 s6q@6 w2CA6C] “(96E96C J@FC DEJ=6 =62?D >@56C?[ EC25:E:@?2=[ :?5FDEC:2=[ 72C>9@FD6[ 8=2>[ @C 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 2 76H[ F?56CDE2?5:?8 J@FC AC676C6?46D H:== 96=A J@F 6DE23=:D9 E96 @G6C2== 2E>@DA96C6 @7 J@FC 9@>6]”k^Am
kAm{F4<:=J[ E96C6 2C6 >2?J A=246D E@ 7:?5 :?DA:C2E:@?] %CJ 3C@HD:?8 E96 2:D=6D @7 2 9@>6 5é4@C DE@C6—H92E =2>AD @C A:==@HD 2C6 J@F ;FDE 5J:?8 E@ AFE :? J@FC 42CEn (96? G:D:E:?8 2 7C:6?5’D 9@>6[ >6?E2==J ?@E6 H92E J@F =@G6 2?5 H92E J@F’5 =62G6] pE E96 8C@46CJ DE@C6n !:4< FA 2 76H 9@>6 5é4@C >282K:?6D @? J@FC H2J @FE] p?5[ @7 4@FCD6[ J@FC A9@?6 @C 4@>AFE6C 9@=5D 2 EC62DFC6 EC@G6 @7 DEJ=6 :?DA:C2E:@?[ 7C@> C6?@G2E:@? EFE@C:2=D @? D@4:2= >65:2 E@ DEJ=6 2?5 5é4@C EC6?5D @? J@FC 72G@C:E6 3C2?5’D H63D:E6]k^Am
kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i46?E6CQmkDEC@?8ms:G:?8 x?k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmq67@C6 86EE:?8 E@ H@C<[ 6?DFC6 J@F 92G6 G6CD2E:=6 DFAA=:6D 7@C G2C:@FD AC@;64ED] %96 6DD6?E:2=D :?4=F56i 2 92>>6C[ 7=2E9625[ !9:==:AD D4C6H5C:G6CD[ A2:?E6C’D E2A6[ 2?5 2 A@H6C 5C:==]k^Am
kAm}@H :E’D E:>6 E@ sx*] }@E DFC6 9@H E@ 2AAC@249 2 AC@;64En {62? @? :?DA:C2E:@? 7C@> 7C:6?5D 2?5 72>:=J[ FD6 *@F%F36 EFE@C:2=D E@ H2=< J@F E9C@F89 :E[ @C 86E :?DECF4E:@?D 7C@> 2? 6IA6CE 2E J@FC =@42= 92C5H2C6 DE@C6] ~7 4@FCD6[ >2<6 DFC6 H92E6G6C J@F 49@@D6 :D D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D D276 E@ sx*]k^Am
kAm“~?6 @7 E96 7:CDE AC@;64ED x C64@>>6?5 :D A2:?E:?8[ D:?46 :E’D 2 C6=2E:G6=J 277@C523=6 FA52E6 E92E 42? 4@>A=6E6=J EC2?D7@C> E96 H2J 2 C@@> 4@>6D E@86E96C—2?5 6G6? 9@H :E >2<6D J@F 766=[” D2:5 s6q@6 w2CA6C] “*@F 42? A2:?E 2? 6?E:C6 C@@> @C FA52E6 2 A:646 @7 7FC?:EFC6 @C 423:?6ECJ H:E9 2 ?6H 4@=@C] ~E96C 9:89\:>A24E AC@;64ED E92E 42? 36 5@?6 2E 2 =@H6C 4@DE :?4=F56 DH2AA:?8 92C5H2C6[ =:<6 423:?6E <?@3D @C AF==D[ :?DE2==:?8 2 ?6H D9@H6C9625[ 3F:=5:?8 3@@<42D6D[ 492?8:?8 E96 <:E496? 72F46E @C 92?8:?8 A66=\2?5\DE:4< H2==A2A6C[ 2== @7 H9:49 42? 6?92?46 J@FC =@@< 2=>@DE :?DE2?E=J H9:=6 3@@DE:?8 sx* 4@?7:56?46]”k^Am
kAmu@C 6G6? >@C6 sx* C6?@G2E:@? E:AD 2?5 :?DA:C2E:@?[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]>@6?]4@>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|@6?]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAmp?5 C6>6>36C[ DF446DD7F= sx* C6?@G2E:@? :D 3F:=E @? A=2??:?8[ AC6A2C2E:@? 2?5 2 H:==:?8?6DD E@ =62C?] (:E9 E96D6 E:AD 7@C 7:CDE\E:>6 9@>6@H?6CD[ J@F 42? D92A6 2 DEJ=:D9[ 4@>7@CE23=6 DA246 E2:=@C65 E@ J@FC ?665D]k^Am
kAm!9@E@ rC65:Ei |@6?k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^7665D]DE2E6A@:?E]?6E^E@H??6HD^A=246>6?E]2D9InEl4U2>Aj:5l`_gchU2>Aj=l6?\&$U2>AjCl`fcefecdhfbdb]bfQ ^mk^Am