- calendar_month September 4, 2021
- folder Misc.
Looking for ways to simplify your life? Most of us are! Let’s face it: being a homeowner is incredible, but who among us wouldn’t like a little help with the details? Whether it’s compiling your creative ideas for home decor, finding a handyman or a plumber to help with any issues that may spring up, or simply organizing your bills, as the old Apple slogan used to say, “there’s an app for that.” Here are 10 of our favorite apps for homeowners that will help bring a little more organization and automation to your life.
1. Nextdoor for staying in touch with your neighborhood
Do you know your neighbors? Are you aware of what’s happening in your neighborhood? If you aren’t sure, the Nextdoor app is a great way to connect with your community. People who live in your area can share about upcoming community events, yard sales, missing pets, weather alerts…. just about anything and everything that might be useful to know! Nextdoor is a great way to get connected to your neighborhood which is why it makes our list for top apps for homeowners.
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Pretty cool. Not only do you get to meet all your neighbors, close by; But the application has a neighbor market, businesses to buy from, both commercial and those who work from home. You also can get heads up from neighbors of close by crime happenings, as well as warnings. This application, is by far the best setup I’ve seen in awhile. Great job development !! ~
by G. D3MON3AT3R, Google Play, August 26, 2021~”
2. Angi for finding home repair vendors
Formerly known as HomeAdvisor, then renamed as Angie’s List, the app Angi has a new name, new look, and even more options to choose from. If you need home repairs, home improvement, cleaning, gardening, or anything in between, check out Angi to find trusted vendors in your area and see reviews from their previous customers to find one you’ll be happy with.
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Great! I had a difficult project which would have required two people. Angi sent one pro, and he was able to maneuver a boxed piece of furniture singlehandedly, and get it downstairs and into the basement without removing either the outside door or the door to the basement! Kudos to Angi for sending the pro whose skills were matched perfectly to the requirements of this job. I would use again.”
by Rena Massis, Google Play, June 21, 2021
3. Prism for paying your bills
Mortgage, power, water, trash pickup, insurance… the list of bills goes on and on. If you’re still paying your bills the old-fashioned way, maybe it’s time to check out the Prism Bills and Money app. See all of your bills listed all together alongside your monthly income and account balances. You can also schedule autopay and let Prism handle it for you. No need to worry about missing a payment ever again!
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Best financial app, period. I’ve been using Prism for years to track, pay, and manage my bills. The app has performed flawlessly, saving me potentially hundreds of dollars over the years in late fees, overdraft charges, and interest payments. If you have bills (who doesn’t?), you need to use this app. Hands-down the most useful money-related app on my phone.”
by User7420j, App Store, February 8, 2021
4. OfferUp for secondhand selling and buying
OfferUp is a simple solution for buying and selling things locally. Why bother with a garage sale? Simply take photos and list what you’re looking to sell and watch the offers come in. If you’re preparing to move, utilize OfferUp to get rid of all the stuff you don’t want to take along with you. You can also shop locally through the app and buy things secondhand and sustainably!
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“I’m moving and need to get rid of everything in my apartment. I thought about just donating all of my belongings to Goodwill per the usual, but a friend recommended I try selling it with OfferUp. I decided to give it a shot and I sold 6 items in 4 days – not to mention I live in a very small town! The app is super easy to navigate and I like that you can communicate through the app without providing personal information. I mostly sell through in-person transactions, but you can also ship your items which may allow the items to sell much faster… I am already looking for things to purchase for myself and I am so happy that I get to receive some sort of income back the items I bought less than 1 year ago!
by Riahh Mimi, App Store, June 29, 2021”
5. AroundMe for finding new places to love in your area
Tired of your usual local restaurants and looking for something new? Meeting friends for coffee close by? Or just need to find the closest ATM? Open up AroundMe to discover the places in your area you may have never tried out before. Find movie times, restaurant menus, and nearest gas stations all in one place. Best of all: when you find a destination, you can open the address in your navigation app of choice. This makes our list of essential apps for homeowners because it’s a great way to get to know your local neighborhood, but another perk is using it when you travel!
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Everywhere I go, any season, I go by bike. When bicycle shopping in chilly March Michigan, I *need* to know what’s Around Me !!! Whether planning or “on the ride,” this app lets me know!”
by Gregory Wright, Google Play, February 2, 2021
6. Benjamin Moore Color Capture for getting that exact paint color you need
Yes, you can really find that perfect paint color for your home. First, take a picture using your camera phone and instantly find equivalent Benjamin Moore paint colors using their Color Capture App. From there, you can also visualize how that color will look in your space by uploading a photo of it and adding their color to it or use the live video visualizer to see how it looks in real-time. Then, you can save the colors you love in the digital color fan deck. If you’re thinking of painting or redecorating any time soon, this app is for you.
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“I just discovered this app while watching a home improvement video on YouTube so I decided to try it out for my home and so far I’m impressed and loving it!!
by JanGirl2, App Store, June 26, 2021“
7. Encircle for making home insurance claims simple
Life happens, and when an insurance claim needs to be filed, many people find themselves utterly unprepared. Don’t let this happen to you. Use Encircle to instantly share pictures, reports, sketches, and more on one easy-to-use platform. With this app, you can process claims faster and easier with tools for restoration and insurance. Keep track of the valuables in your home and generate the documentation you’ll need. Because of its robust features, this is definitely one of our top picks for essential apps for homeowners.
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Awesome awesome app. And it is totally free. No ads at all. Very very Love this app. Easy to use. Great features. My favorite feature is using a whole room picture for adding individual items. Makes it so much easier/quicker than taking individual pictures of everything. Some have said you can only add one picture. All you have to do do for more is add a picture under the note section and you can have as many pictures of the item you want. Makes a great pdf file of items with pictures to send to who I need as well.“
by Jessica Ehrhart, Google Play, April 1, 2021
8. iScape for planning and designing your landscaping
Every homeowner wants curb appeal or a dreamy backyard oasis. That’s why iScape makes our list of apps for homeowners: it can help you create a perfect landscaping plan! Before spending real time and money, visualize the finished project through this designing app. You can share your designs with other people. They even offer you the option to shop in-app for the things you need. iScape is only currently available on the App Store but will hopefully be coming to Google Play soon.
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“The ‘Umf’ your homeowner imagination needs. For a year now we’ve been living in a peculiar looking home. I often think what enhanced curb appeal would do the job. What if we did this, or did that? Without an app like this one, it’s hard to imagine what all your ideas would actually look like. Thus endless landscaping pillow talk with your partner. Even if you just get the month subscription like I did, it’s worth it. Show your exact ideas to your partner and/or landscaper and complete that project!”
by Sdagorret, App Store, June 30, 2020
9. JouleBug for saving energy
JouleBug is a truly powerful app that can help you easily make your everyday habits more sustainable at home. Participate in challenges, track your progress and impact, and save money in the long run by lowering your energy bill (hey, you can track that in the app from #3) and living more sustainably by reducing your waste. Of all of the apps for homeowners we’ve listed, this one actually does good for the earth and can save you money, so what’s not to love?
One recent review from a user of this app states:
“Love this app! Constantly encouraging you to make positive changes! If you are willing to go out and help the environment, then this is the app for you. Where’s the fun if you don’t want to work towards being sustainable and environmentally friendly? Truth is… Being eco-friendly isn’t always fun, but this app has all the bits and pieces to start you off if you’re willing to make a change! Would definitely recommend this app to all my friends wanting to make a difference.”
by Dezrae Reynolds, Google Play, May 14, 2019
10. Pinterest for finding inspiration and organizing your ideas
Of all the apps for homeowners we’ve listed here, this one is most likely one you already have on your phone! Pinterest is part social media, part search engine, and part organizational tool. Discover inspiration through their search feature and save “pins” to boards that you curate. Thinking about re-decorating your bathroom? Pinterest has millions of pins of inspiration for you. Create a bathroom decor board and start saving the ideas you love to revisit later and visualize altogether. Oh, and did we mention we are on Pinterest, too
