Stan (the man) is back. This time, he’s writing about budgets for new homeowners:

I wanted to touch base and make sure everything is going well with you in your new home. I am always here to answer any questions that may come up. I also want to make sure I am always providing you with valuable real estate information.

When people buy and sell, they often use their cash reserves for the down payment and closing costs. After making a move, many people want to go out and buy new furniture, plants, window coverings, and other things to make their new house a home. But this sometimes can be a real strain on the budget.

Here are some tangible tips from the experts to help you balance your new budget:

• Set aside at least six months’ living expenses.
• Think about automatic payments for your mortgage. That way you’ll never be late. You can usually select the date you’d like to have the payment deducted.
• Plan and budget for major repairs, remodeling, or decorating projects. Shop around for the best prices and get references if you are hiring a contractor for major projects.
• Keep all of your receipts for home improvement projects.

If you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, please call or email me. I am available to you anytime you need me. If you know of anyone who is thinking of buying or selling a home, please forward their name and number to me. I will be happy to follow up and take care of their real estate needs.

Yeah, I can’t tell you just how helpful it’s been to get our own personal finances set up through Microsoft Money 2007. We’ve still got a few things that need finishing around here, as far as the house is concerned…

• Entertainment center (or electronics-friendly shelves), sofa and loveseat, light-blocking drapes for the media room
• A handyman to help us fix the fans in our master bathroom
• Roofing specialists to get our roof banged into shape
• A carpenter to help us create screens (out of speaker grill fabric) for our den
• We need to either rent a power washer or find someone who has one, as our deck and patio need a good water-wooshing

I guess that short list was for my own sanity more than anything else – and I suppose that means we’re taking qualified leads for any contractor who might be able to help with the general handiwork.

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