Keeping track of bill due dates, scheduling home maintenance, even figuring out how often you need to water the plants – when it comes to homeownership, there are plenty of chores on your to-do list. Thankfully, these days, there’s an app for everything.
We’ve rounded up a list of the top 12 apps to help busy households with everything from home décor inspiration to getting to know the neighborhood and making use of the latest smart home technology. If you’re a new homeowner, hang onto this list and get ready to download these apps – they will make turning your house into a home that much easier.
Home Maintenance
1. Centriq
Winner of the National Association of Home Builder (NAHB)’s “Game Changer” award, Centriq is a one-stop-shop to help homeowners with accessing appliance manuals, ordering spare parts and supplies, and video guides for DIY repairs.
If an appliance or electronic gadget in your home needs fixing, simply take a photo of the product label and upload it to the app – Centriq will fetch the user manual, troubleshooting guides, how-to videos, and links to help you order parts or connect with a technician. It also has a handy recall notification, so it’ll alert you to any product recalls for appliances you added to the app. When you set up home maintenance reminders on Centriq, it will alert you when it’s time to clean the rain gutters or change the HVAC filter – and display a handy step-by-step guide.
2. HomeZada
HomeZada is an easy-to-use app to record your home inventory, along with your home repair projects and their progress all in one place. You can set up budgeting plans for home remodeling, log your research, schedule reminders for seasonal maintenance, and stay on top of home insurance policies and claims.
Homeowners can even store photos of their home’s transformation, and upload receipts, important documents, and other files, too. You can build a digital home profile to record home appraisals, home values in the neighborhood, and overall household expenses.
Smart Home Technology
3. Amazon Alexa
Alexa has become a household name and for good reason: you can count on her for everyday tasks. She can assist you with making grocery lists, sending a text while your hands are full, and setting a timer for whatever is cooking in the oven.
Once you’ve downloaded Alexa, you can sync her up with your home’s smart devices, including lighting, fans, home monitoring cameras, home speakers, the television, and the thermostat.
Other in-house personal assistants are worth checking out too, including Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, and Apple Home. They include identical features, such as automating when the smart lights turn on and off throughout the home, connecting to affiliated TV and music services, and gathering weather and news updates.
4. HomeLink
This app is all about car-to-home automation so you can control a variety of smart home devices that are HomeLink compatible while you’re on the road. While you’re heading home from a busy day at work, you can adjust your thermostat, turn on the lights, or cue up your favorite playlist for your home workout. This app comes in handy if you’ve already left the house for the day and want to double-check that you’ve turned off the heating and turned on the security system, too.
It has a lengthy compatibility list with brands that include Ecobee, GE, Honeywell, Philips, Sonos, TP-Link, and more.
Personal Finance Tracking and Budgeting
5. Mint
Monthly mortgage payments, utility bills with different due dates, and annual insurance premiums and property taxes – homeownership costs can pile up quickly. Every homeowner needs a reliable budgeting app and Mint is our go-to choice.
Create custom budgets to make sure you aren’t overspending, set up personal finance goals to save for new furniture, a paint job, or a renovation, and track your everyday expenditures. Mint breaks down your expenses into various categories, so you’ll know exactly how much you’re spending on groceries, shopping, and other key expenses.
You can also set up a bill tracker to keep up with due dates, so you never miss a payment.
Home Design
6. Houzz
If you’re moving into a new home, download this app to help you bring your interior design vision to life. Users can play around with layout ideas, get inspiration for every room in the house, and shop for furniture to suit the aesthetic you’re looking for whether it’s traditional, modern, eclectic, or contemporary.
You can view your design, furniture picks, and layout in a 3D virtual room, save your work, and share these plans with family and friends.
Houzz also connects users with local interior designers, architects, and general contractors in case you want to hire professionals to help with the heavy lifting.
7. HomeStyler
This app helps property owners design their dream home, starting with a 2D blank slate where you can plug in the dimensions of your home’s floorplan. From there, you fill each room with furniture by clicking the links to world-famous brands. Finally, home designers can view the finished product via a panoramic 3D walkthrough view.
HomeStyler includes design ideas from peers and professionals, and introductory guides to show users what to consider when customizing their home.
Lawn and Garden Care
8. Planta
Planta is an informative app whether you have a green thumb or you’re a novice gardener just trying to keep your plants alive.
Use the Plant ID feature to discover what’s growing in your garden. You can also learn how to care for your greenery, from how often your plants need to be watered, to how much sunlight, fertilizer, and pruning they need.
9. GreenPal
This app has been nicknamed the “Uber for lawn care,” helping users find, schedule, and pay for lawn mowing services in their new neighborhood. Simply post a photo of your lawn, explain your maintenance needs, and receive up to five quotes from local pros who can get the job done within 24 hours.
Service providers get paid through the app, so you don’t even have to be home when they tend to your yard.
Get to Know the Community
10. NextDoor
Download NextDoor if you’re moving to a new neighborhood – it’s a fantastic app connecting everyone in your community. You can read the latest local news, keep up with neighborhood events, exchange recommendations for nearby services, and even buy or sell furniture.
For people who haven’t bought a home yet, it’s worth checking out to get an authentic feel for your potential new community, too.
Moving
11. Moved
The makers of Moved market this app as every homebuyer’s “personal moving concierge.” It will manage your entire moving process, from gathering quotes from multiple moving companies, coordinating logistics, and providing you with options to buy packing supplies.
It’ll even help you forward your mail to your new address with the click of a button.
Family Management
12. Cozi
Between soccer practice and dentist appointments to birthdays and school field trips, your family’s calendar can get crowded quickly. Download Cozi to keep your household organized and aware of everyone’s busy schedules.
You can use the app to keep appointments and activities all in one place, track school events and virtual class schedules, and even build shared lists for groceries, family holiday ideas, or chores that need tackling.
Carmen Chai is an award-winning Canadian journalist who has lived and reported from major cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, London and Paris. For NewHomeSource, Carmen covers a variety of topics, including insurance, mortgages, and more.
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