Social Media Do’s & Dont’s for New Homeowners
Congratulations! You’ve taken the real estate plunge and bought a place of your very own. It’s a scary time, but also a really exciting time. I bet you can’t wait to share the good news on Facebook and Instagram. But wait—before you do, we have some advice for when and how to use social media responsibly while you bask in that new homeowner glow.
DO take and share great photos of your new place. This post has some great tips for getting the lighting and composition just right.
DON’T fill an entire Facebook album of photos. Just a few are enough. And definitely get a picture of you outside the front door, triumphantly dangling your keys out in front of you–you’ll treasure that photo for a lifetime.
DON’T post any identifiable information about your home’s address or specific location. As you’re taking photos to share, be careful to keep house numbers just out of frame. Yes, it’s easy to track down an address in the White Pages (does anybody still use the White Pages?), but the scary thing about social media is how easy it is to cross-reference your address with everything else about you, like the stuff you own or when you’ll be away from the house.
DO use Pinterest for inspiration, but don’t get too caught up in the perfect staged homes you see online. Remember this: Decorating your home is a journey, not a destination. It’s good to glean inspiration online, but try not to lose sight of your own unique taste in the process.
→ 7 Ways to Hold on to Your Own Taste
DO connect with your new neighbors online. Seek out Facebook groups for your neighborhood to stay on top of hyper-local news, discover fun events or score great deals on used furniture.
DON’T blow up your friends’ Facebook and Instagram feeds every day. We know you’re excited, but here’s the harsh truth of social media: Nobody cares as much or as frequently about your life as you do.
DO come up with a hashtag to chronicle your journey with your new home. It will make it easy to look back over your progress (painting! renovating! DIY projects!) as you work to make your house a home over the months and years. If you want to come up with something creative, this post has some suggestions for naming your house or apartment.
What are some good and bad ways you can use social media as a new homeowner?
Re-edited from a post originally published 9.12.2014 – LS