For many people, divorce is both terrifying and freeing at the same time. When you go through a divorce, you become financially independent from your spouse. Chances are when the divorce is completed, you will need to move and find your own home.
Divorce is indeed a fresh start. Unfortunately, it can be a complicated and difficult process if you don’t know what to do. Most often, women rely on their husbands for a lot of things and husbands also do the same. When you are now alone, you need to do everything on your own and ensure that you have a beautiful and safe place to stay.
When you decide to find a home after a divorce, you want to look for one that’s in good shape. That’s not always possible, and at times you find that a few things need fixing on the home that you just bought.
How to Find a Good Home
When you are looking for a home, you need to first decide what neighborhood you want to stay in. You can find a suitable home but in a terrible neighborhood and eventually, you will have to move again. It is therefore important to research the area and see it for yourself before deciding to buy a home there. Find out how close the amenities are and how easy it is to access the area. You should also check the crime rate in the area, among other things.
Most homes in urban areas are situated in busy metro areas that offer easy access to cultural hotspots and public transportation. The properties might be a bit small though because of the large population that prefers these areas. The bottom line is no matter what neighborhood you choose, make sure it’s safe, and it resonates with what you want.
Consider Your Finances
Before you head out and start viewing properties, you need to consider how much you are willing to pay for a home and how you will pay for it. If you don’t have the cash, borrowing might be an option to consider. Even if you are using credit, you will need to pay a deposit. A deposit is usually about 5 – 10% of the total cost of the home. If you are not sure what to do, consider talking to a financial adviser. They will help you navigate the entire process in a manner that won’t leave you in financial turmoil.
Applying for Loan
The moment you find a home that you are comfortable buying, you need to apply for a home loan. The first step is to select a lender and find a loan that suits your budget. Once that is done, you can then submit your loan application. There are several ways to apply. You can do it over the phone, online, or in person.
When applying for mortgage loans, the lender will require that you provide information about yourself. Some documents that are needed are:
- Employment history
- Identification
- Proof of income
- Identification documents
- Copies of the signed Purchase and Sales Agreements
You will also need to have a good credit score and show that you will be able to pay back the loan with little difficulty. If you are self-employed, your bank account history will serve as proof of income. Depending on the loan provider, several other documents might be needed.
Before you apply for the loan, make sure that you go over the terms and that you understand what you are signing up for. Also, try to be as honest as possible with your application. No matter your profession, if you are a bail bond agent, or if you also happen to provide bail bonds services, you should put all of that in the application.
The Buying Process
Below is a list of general steps you will need to take before you buy your home:
- Start the property search
- Sort a list of potential homes
- A first and second viewing
- Making an offer
- Agreeing on the price
- Completing the purchase
If you manage to negotiate well, both the seller and yourself will arrive at a price that you are comfortable with. Once you reach that point, everything needs to be put into writing and then you go ahead with the legal processes. If the sale goes through smoothly, you can start thinking about moving into your new home and making yourself comfortable.
Now That You Have Moved In
It is rare to move into a house where everything is perfect. In most cases, you will need to do a fair amount of work to make sure that the home is habitable and that it’s aligned with your needs and preferences. To get to this point, there are several areas of the home that you will need to fix or at least inspect.
Water
When you get into your new home, you will need a constant supply of clean water. There is no way that you can stay in a home that does not have good quality water or has funny tasting water. If that’s the case in your new home, you will need to hire a water restoration company.
Several issues can lead to your water has a funny taste, smell, or being discolored. This can be coming from problems in your home or with the city. Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to improve the water quality in your home.
Before you try to fix the problem, reevaluate your water pipes first. The pipes can be corroded or broken, and this can cause a discoloration problem. You should not try to repair pipes on your own. Jobs like that are best left to the professionals.
If there is a well at your property, and the water is not good quality, start by checking if there are no contaminants in the well. If the water in the well is clean, then you can check the pipes as well. With wells, the pump can also reduce water quality. If the pump is broken, hire a professional so that it can be fixed as soon as possible.
If you keep getting poor quality water, consider installing a water filtration system in your home. It can be effective for doing away with impurities. If you have the budget for it, you can install a whole house filtration system. These types filter all the water in your home, including showers.
The Roof
Depending on how you bought a home, a seller might have already had the roof inspected or not. If the roof wasn’t inspected, you will need to do that as soon as possible and fix anything that could be wrong with it. So, what happens when a roof is inspected? If you hire residential roofing services or a roofing contractor to inspect your roof, they will check for the roof’s construction, leaking, framing, gutters, and ventilation. If the roof is fine, they will give you a roof certification to show that your roof is fine.
For your roof to be certified, the roofers will check for gutter leaks, clogged drains, chimney damage, roof shingles, and rust. If anything is wrong with the roof, it will have to be repaired as soon as possible. Once the repairs are done, the roofers will provide you with an estimate of how long the roof will stay intact and then give you a certification. The certification will be valid for about two to three years, depending on where you are.
HVAC
When you get into your new home, the HVAC system is one other aspect that you need to check to ensure that it’s working properly. It will become extremely useful when you experience extremes of temperature. Without proper HVAC, you can end up with serious health issues because of exposure to harsh conditions.
It is important to understand that you should not only call the heating and cooling repair services when you think something is wrong. Even if you think the system is working fine, it needs to be inspected. It’s dangerous to wait for it to malfunction before you take care of it. So when you get into your home, schedule a regular maintenance timetable for your HVAC system.
Plumbing
Nothing lasts forever, and the pipes in your new home are no exception to that rule. When you purchase a new home, especially if it’s an old one, you might need to get the pipes checked and, if need be, replaced. This will save you a lot of time and money in the future. Plumbing is a very crucial component of a home, and if it goes wrong, a lot of other things might go wrong.
You don’t want to come back from work one day and find that your new home has been flooded because of broken pipes. Now you won’t have just the plumbing to deal with, but water damage to your home as well. Your floors, electrical, and the wooden components of your home might get destroyed in the process. By that time, even if you call emergency plumbing repair, it will be too late.
To avoid dealing with such problems, you need to have your plumbing inspected as soon as you settle into your home. Over the years, a lot of rusting and decay takes place in the pipes, tubs, and sinks in a house. Please note, however, that not all homes have damaged pipes. If the previous owner was taking good care of the home, the pipes would still be fine. You also don’t want to do such a job unless it’s necessary.
Getting an Insurance Policy For Your Home
Homeowner’s insurance policies are not a luxury. They are a necessity. Insurance serves a dual purpose. Almost everyone is familiar with the first, to protect your home against damage. The second purpose involves your mortgage. Most mortgage companies require you to have an insurance policy on your home that covers the full value of the property. If you do not produce proof that you have an insurance policy, you will not get a loan.
It’s a smart move to get an insurance policy. There are about three levels of coverage. These include the following:
- Actual cash value
- Replacement cost
- Extended replacement cost/value.
The type of coverage depends on several things. The insurer assesses what is known as the insurer’s risk. The assessment is based on previous claim history, the type of neighborhood, and the condition of the home.
When you set out to find an insurance policy, try to first get several quotes before you make your final decision. If you had an insurer that you were working with before the divorce, you can choose them if they were providing an excellent service.
Benefits of a Home Insurance Policy
You will be covered against damage to the interior and exterior of the house. For instance, if there is a fire, hurricane, or if your house gets struck by lightning or vandalized, the company will compensate you and you can have your home repaired or built from scratch.
If you have many high-value possessions and you want them insured, you will need to get an extra policy on them. The insurance policy can also protect you from personal liability if others try to file a lawsuit against you. For instance, if your dog attacks a neighbor, your insurance policy will cover the medical costs. Also, if someone falls on your property and gets injured, the company will cover those costs.
It’s normal to want to get a home of your own as soon as you can and move on with the next phase of your life as soon as your divorce is complete. Divorce can be stressful, but buying a home and settling in doesn’t have to be. It is crucial that before you relax in your new home, you ensure that everything is working as it should. This will save you a lot of time and money in the future. You should also ensure that you get coverage for your home in case anything bad happens.
