Buying your first house often comes with the added responsibility of buying an entire new set of furniture & appliances. And, after a few years, you might find yourself replacing some of those appliances when they wear out. Wouldn't it be easier to just buy quality appliances to begin with? Here are 5 different tips to keep your house looking brand new & functioning well. Let's start.

1. When looking for appliances, one of the first things that you want to do is look for value. And by 'value,' I don't necessarily mean a low price. Sometimes value means goods that are priced higher but last much longer. Some of the higher quality appliances may cost a little more than their competitors- but often times you get what you pay for. A good metaphor is a Honda Accord – while the Accord may cost slightly more than similar models, it may last 100% longer than similar cars. You want to invest in value.

2. Inspect the warranty information. These days, warranty can last anywhere from 0 days to 10 years or even longer. If you are paying extra for an appliance that comes with an extended warranty, make sure the warranty is from a reputable company that's not going anywhere. There have been several news articles recently of companies that can't honor their warranty because they have gone bankrupt..after all, a long term warrantee from a company that's no longer in business isn't worth very much! Do you homework on the company offering the warranty.

3. Check for customer reviews. Before investing your money in an appliance that doesn't live up to its claims, do a little research. There are tons of review services out there- it's not only Consumer Reports anymore. Today, there are review sites for every type of product you can imagine. Listen to other people who've already purchased what you are looking to purchase- what was their experience? Would they buy it again- did it live up to its claims? What did they like & dislike about it? While this information is free, it's VERY valuable.

4. Energy efficiency. This is a big one that many people over look, which is kind of strange give the skyrocketing cost of energy during the last few years. This is especially critical information when you are looking at replacing your HVAC unit. This is because, in some climates, your HVAC bill can account for as much as 75% of your total power bill. Luckily, many of the major appliances now come with stickers that indicate how much power the appliance consumes.

5. Here's a tip that I haven't heard written about much, but it makes sense: be realistic about the future needs of your household...You need to plan your purchases based on your realistic future needs. For those of you starting new families or who plan on having more kids in the future, remember that when you are shopping for new appliances. What may be an acceptable washer & dryer size for 2 people, might not be big enough for the clothes of 4.

This concludes our tips on shopping for major appliances. Now, you are armed with information that will make the much process much easier for you. Thank you for reading.