Alan Sells Real Estate!: 10 Great Gift Ideas for First Time Home Buyers:

Below is a list of the Top 10 gift ideas for First Time Home Buyers. Let me know what gifts you wish you had received, when you moved in to your first home.

Lawn Mower/Yard Tools
It didn’t even dawn on me until after my first week moved in, “I have a beautiful yard and need to maintain it!” I really love working in my yard but securing all of the tools was a big upfront cost. Lawn items like shovels, garden hoses and rakes are a great, useful gift ideas for Christmas.
Large Serving Platters/Dishes for Entertaining
I was never able to entertain large groups in my old apartment. With our new home we’ve been entertaining much more and having large dishes for party platters has been a real benefit.
Grill & Patio Furniture
Our house has a great outdoor living spaces for entertaining. When the weather is nice, we enjoy spending the evening outside grilling steaks. Most apartments won’t allow personal grills and this was at the top on my list when we moved.
Fire Extinguishers & First Aid Kits
Many new homes come with smoke detectors hard wired into the home, but it’s always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on hand. If you live in a two story home you might consider a safety ladder. Safety gifts like these are often overlooked until it’s too late.
Ladder
I never thought I’d use my ladder as often as I do. From tree trimming to Christmas Lights I find this is a great item for home owners. I remember putting on hold so many personal projects until I finally got a ladder.
Picture Frames & Hardware Kits
It’s your home, a place to build memories. Home purchases typically come with other life changing events and picture frames are a great way to capture those moments. A level, hammer and hardware kits are often great ideas that they’ll use for years.
Fireplace Screens & Pokers
Nothing makes a home feel cozier than a warm fire during the winter. My old apartment didn’t have a fireplace and I remember waiting for the temperature to drop before I could use the one in my new home.
Gift Cards
A new home is a blank canvas ready for home owners to add their personal touch. We spent months looking for new accessories and completing new rooms that we had never had before like our home office and guest room.
Ceiling Fans
These are a great addition to any room and help circulate the air and reduce heating and cooling cost. With so many styles they add a great personal touch to a home.
Welcome Mats
I remember when we first moved into our new home. We were so proud and a welcome mat was one of our first purchases. Our home is so much larger than our apartment and we have mats for the front and back patio doors. If the couple you’re shopping for is anything like my wife, we have a welcome mat for each holiday season.