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You’ll Get to it Eventually

When something in your new home isn’t quite right but not to the level of a full emergency, it’s tempting to simply tell yourself that you’ll get around to fixing it sooner or later.

The problem is that life gets in the way, and before long, that issue that drove you crazy when you first moved in just doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. This is how people end up living with broken appliances or unattractive bathroom wallpaper for years.

To avoid falling prey to this mental myth, make a list of home projects, and put them on a calendar, preferably one that you’ll see on a regular basis. You can always push them back out, but at least you’ll see the notes and remind yourself that the broken ceiling fan or wonky sump pump isn’t normal.

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You Can Do Whatever You Like to Your Home

One of the more common myths about homeownership is that you can completely customize your home to your preferences. While you may like to say that your home is your castle, that doesn’t mean that you can make any repair or change as you see fit. Depending on where you live, you may run into municipal residential codes, zoning requirements or even homeowners association bylaws and covenants.

While there are plenty of areas where you can have free rein on your home improvements, you can avoid a headache by double-checking local requirements before diving into a high-profile project.