Owning Real Estate Maintaining Maintenance Schedule Refinancing Refinancing Sources Remodeling Remodel or Sell? Most Common Projects Repairing Finding Professional Help Organizing Budgeting  Contact Us	Compare Loans at Quicken Loans Owning Real Estate: Organizing Someone once said that one of the major sources of stress in modern life is due to a lack of organization. We will spend hours doing a task that should have taken only minutes because we did not take the time previously to get ourselves organized. When you spend those excess hours, it costs you money that could be wisely spent elsewhere (or put into a savings plan). Here are some tips, from a homeowner's perspective, on getting an organized grip on the "experience" of owning a home. One of the first things that you can do is to organize all of your house records so they are quickly accessible when you need them. For example, you should develop a list of all of your important house information so that when a question such as "what is our mortgage loan number?" arises, you will not be scrambling to find the information. Here are some tips for getting your life as a homeowner organized: GETTING ORGANIZED Keep a record of all your house information in a central location so that you know where it is when you need it. Make a list of who to call when you need repairs or maintenance. Having it available can save a lot of aggravation and money. Discuss and develop a household budget that everyone can live with. Do your best to live within your means. Plan major purchases in advance and save for them so that you can pay cash instead of adding to credit card or loan debt. When you are considering an expensive purchase, give yourself a "cooling off" period rather than buying it impulsively. You'll be amazed what you really don't need (or won't use) if you let the decision sit a day or two. Put the money you save by not making the purchase into a savings account or some other investment. Consolidate as much debt as possible into the lowest interest rate loan or card, rather than having numerous small accounts, all of which have minimum payments. Don't overspend on your homeowners' insurance. See tips for saving money. Plan your meals a week (or more) in advance and shop accordingly. Watch for specials and stock up. If you use brand names, clip and use coupons, or consider the store brands or generics. Coordinate your shopping trips--make one trip to three or four stores at the same time rather than three or four separate trips. This not only saves time, it means less time in stressful traffic. Have a schedule for house maintenance. It will cost a little money in the short term and save a lot in the long term. If your time is short, consider having certain work (e.g. landscaping, painting) done for you rather than doing it yourself--it may even save money in the long run. Schedule and divide chores and responsibilities among all members of the household. Everyone should know what they need to do and when they need to do it.
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