What are the responsibilities of the home owner?
We have reached the last article of my schedule for buying houses! In the previous articles, we have explained in detail about the process of buying a house, but this time we want to give you some important tips and challenges facing homeowners.
When you feel that you need more information, you can find answers to your questions by visiting the real estate timeline page and seeing all the steps in buying real estate!
Your most important task is to prevent expropriation!
One of the most important responsibilities of homeowners is not to default on their monthly installments, so as not to deprive them of ownership of the house.
Why does mortgage occur?
If 120 days have passed since the end of the mortgage payment, there is a possibility to recover the ownership of the property. But it is interesting to know that failure to pay the housing tax or even the customs of the homeowners’ association can be a problem.
Usually, people default on their installments due to financial problems such as unemployment, major home repairs, medical expenses, or excessive credit. Also, the loan with variable interest rates puts pressure on the buyer and increases the installments with the increase in interest. (That’s why we don’t recommend these loans!)
You got it! How can I stop this now?
The best way to avoid bankruptcy is financial management. Remember these three points:
- Determine your budget so that you don’t overspend
- Save for possible home repairs, medical expenses, and other unexpected expenses
- Use credit responsibly and don’t fall into debt! (Regarding Article 1-5)
Get help if you are in trouble!
If you face a financial problem even with your best efforts, try the following solutions:
Contact your service provider as soon as possible
If you find that you have a problem in paying the installments, contact your loan officer. Don’t be shy, because these companies have experts who help people who have financial problems. As time goes by, you only have fewer options.
- How can you reduce your losses?
When contacting the service provider, ask about the options available to you to avoid the risk of foreclosure. You usually have to fill out a form and explain your situation. The service provider must review your model within 30 days and determine the options that can be offered to you. You can submit this form as long as there are at least 37 days remaining until the sale of the prohibited property (although this number is less in some states).
- Consultation with a real estate consultant
In addition to the service provider, you can also consult a real estate consultant for free to better understand your rights and options and fill out the loss reduction form. Even the consultant can talk to the service provider on your behalf.
Be diligent in maintaining your home!
One of the main differences between renting and owning a home is home maintenance and repairs. If you check your home for potential problems, you can prevent the development and protection of exploitation.
What should we not realize?
Once a year in Qom with the following:
- Windows: To prevent lack of energy, insects and moisture problems, clean my windows as soon as possible to find out if they are old or not.
- The roof: To prevent moisture damage, check the condition of the house level once a year and replace or repair the roof cover if necessary.
- Al-Fana: Take care of the trees and shrubs, especially if they are near the house. Pests can enter your home in this way.
- Al-Mamar and Al-Rasif: If a plant appears in Al-Mamar, remove it. Also, it is better not to use salt to melt ice in winter because it destroys the asphalt.
- Basis: implementation once per year if there are any cracks and repairs if necessary. Also, if there is a plant growing near me, I will remove it.
- Al-Muzarib: cleaning of al-muzarib and sewage in all seasons. Do not allow a large amount of water to enter the foundation of the building.
- Exterior paint: Repairing the exterior paint of the house once a year until weather conditions damage the building.
Remember that you are planning to make major repairs, sooner or later, all the houses need to repair or replace the basic parts such as the roof, the heating source, etc., so you must save money for these things from the beginning. Try to allocate at least 1% of the purchase price of the house for general repairs. You can also download this checklist to know exactly what to do and what to check. By using the file we gave you in the article about the importance of home inspection (refer to article 3-5), you can find out when you will need to make major repairs.
Can I do the repairs myself?
Definitely! You can learn and perform many minor repairs yourself. The internet is full of educational videos and even some commercial and educational workshops. If you need some specialized tools, you can click on this link to view the list of these tools and settings if necessary.
Note that sometimes, despite my best efforts, you may end up breaking something instead of me fixing it, or you may even get injured and need the help of an expert.
Even if you are confident in your abilities, in some cases you will find it necessary to comply with the legal requirements or obtain more specialized tools, and it is better to leave it to the expert. Some of these are mentioned below:
- Removing lead gold because it requires legal permits and is harmful to your health.
- Basic plumbing and electrical work because it is a dangerous act and must be followed by building laws.
- Underground repairs.
- Where can I find a specialist?
You can ask friends or Aljiran. Some local agencies or associations can also introduce experts or even give loans to make major repairs or changes. It is good to pay attention to the following points when choosing a contract:
- Get my price quotes for at least three people
Get the estimated price for the required service from at least three people and ask them to mention details such as the type of raw materials, etc., so that you can compare the prices more accurately.
- Don’t expect contracts as “additional cost” and “time and materials”.
The final price of these contracts exceeds the expectations because the ceiling for the contract has not been set yet.
- Ask them to introduce their customers
I want to know at least two customers who have actually done something similar to the intended contract. You can also contact the Better Business Bureau or the District Attorney’s Office to let us know if anyone has filed an antitrust complaint.
- Verification of contract documents
Find out if the contractor has certificates, guarantees and insurance, and ask me to show the current certificate.
- marriage contract
Always keep a written contract detailing the work to be done, such as cleaning the environment during and after the work, when the work will be completed, and what to do in case of delay. If there are people like these people, then get a list of the cases and contracts of mine al-batin.
- Determine payment terms
I will probably ask you for a deposit before starting the work, and the amount should not be large. It is also common to pay the contractor during the construction of the work and when it is finished, the whole part is mine. Every time you make a payment, ask the contractor to give you a “Letter of Waiver of Privilege” to prove that he has paid the wages of all the workers and contractors.
Also, before making the final payment, I must promise to give you a timely address to all the participants in the project to inform me of the existence of outstanding debts to avoid future problems.
- Monitor changes carefully
If there is a change in the main contract, it must be registered and signed before and before the contract.
Keep your insurance until now
Another responsibility of home owners is to get insurance. It is true that insuring the owner of the house is no longer desirable from the legal point of view once you pay off your mortgage, but it is good to keep your home forever.
- What is compulsory insurance?
If the cost of home insurance is not deposited in the credit account and you do not pay the installments yourself, the loan service company can prepare the home insurance on your behalf and write the cost on your account. Compulsory insurance costs more than normal insurance and only protects the company and its assets, not you. When you purchase insurance yourself, the service provider must cancel the mandatory insurance.
- What should we do if our house is damaged or something is stolen?
If something happens that is covered by homeowners insurance, you must notify the insurance company yourself so that the extent of the damage and the amount of the damage can be estimated, and the repair or replacement costs will be added to your account after paying the deductible amount. As we explained in our previous articles, insurance usually covers it. (Regarding Article 3-6)
Try to make your home as safe as possible
Many incidents that happen in homes can be prevented, and some of them are as follows:
- electrical safety
The electrical system in the home may pose a risk such as fire or electric shock, and repairs should be carried out by a qualified electrician only. The following tips can protect you from these risks:
Electricity is easily transmitted through water, so you must keep electrical devices and wires away from water.
Do not use damaged wires.
Replace damaged covers for switches and electrical outlets.
Try not to use too many wires so as not to stress the wiring system
. If your house has a fuse
box, make sure to stand on a dry surface while changing the fuse and don’t touch the surfaces that are connected to the electricity.
- I am safe from fires
For complete information, visit the website of the National Fire Protection Agency and note the following points:
Install at least one fire alarm on every floor of the house (I prefer that they be connected) and use the city-wide test button to find out if it works and change the batteries at least once a year.
Never smoke in your bed,
keep at least one fire extinguisher at home, preferably near the kitchen, and teach all family members how to use it.
Make sure that there is nothing around heating devices and water heaters that can cause a fire.
Keep cloth and paper away from hot surfaces. Teach
children the danger of playing with candles and matches and keep flammable materials away from them.
The house for gathering and exercising with your family once a year.
- The danger of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and deadly gas produced when heating devices burn incompletely. The best way to protect against the danger of this gas is to install carbon dioxide alarms. If this alarm goes off, leave the house immediately and call 911 outside.
- Risk of gas leakage
If you smell goose, don’t light matches or lights and don’t use the phone. In this case, electrical devices may cause explosions and mishaps. Leave the house immediately and call the fire department and the gas company at a safe distance.
- The danger of radon goose
Al-Radon is also an odorless, odorless, and radiant goose that enters your home through underground water wells. This gas is naturally present in all homes and may cause lung cancer. The best way to protect yourself from these risks is to test the house during the inspection process. To do this, you can get professional help or hire home testing equipment. If you find that the level of radon gas in your home is higher than usual, contact an expert to investigate the situation and suggest the best solution. For more information about radon gas, visit the website of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- The danger of bullets
Most of the houses built before 1978 contain lead gold. If this coating peels off or attacks other surfaces, it may produce dangerous dust. If the percentage of lead in a person’s breath is high, it may cause problems in learning, behavioral disorders, stroke, and even death. If you want, you can also check the amount of lead in the house during the home inspection, but if you buy an old house without doing this, it is better to determine the amount of lead in the house as soon as possible, especially if you have children because children are more susceptible to this element. . For more information about lead and poison, visit the website of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Risk of theft
No matter where you live, you must keep your house safe from thieves:
Install the key lock on any door,
close the doors and windows when you are not at home,
if there is a tree or shrub in front of the door or window, cut the trees
if necessary, install a motion sensor in your garden
if you stay away from home for a long time, ask me to be a trustworthy person. To visit your home and stop delivering letters and pages for a while.
Build good relations with the neighbors so that they care about
the optimal use of energy
During the optimal use of energy, it protects the environment and reduces the cost of your bills. You can also ask an expert or a company to measure the energy consumption of your new home before or after you buy it. In this way, and during the payment of secret customs, an expert will visit your home on behalf of the service company and measure the approximate amount of energy consumption and suggest ways to improve it.
It is interesting to know that in America, homes consume a quarter of the total energy in the country, and about half of it is used for heating or cooling, and the rest is used to operate electrical appliances, lighting, etc.
Tips to save energy
No need for us to estimate energy consumption in order to save energy. Refer to this link to learn tips to reduce energy consumption.
Run well!
You may not think that having a good relationship with your neighbors is very important, but remember that the good neighbors create safe neighborhoods that benefit everyone. Approach your new neighbors first and follow the following tips to maintain good relations with your neighbors:
Take care of the house, yard, and sidewalks,
be careful of children and pets,
try not to make annoying noises,
participate in neighborhood activities,
congratulations! You have reached the end of the schedule for buying a house and you can now enter the process of buying a house with complete information!