12 Essential To Dos After Closing on Your New Home
Buying a home can be such a whirlwind. Making the decision to buy a new home, looking at properties, getting financed and then finally closing on your new home and moving in.
But before you put your feet up and relax, there are a few tasks you will want to do immediately after taking possession of your new home. These essential tasks will help make your home a safe and comfortable place to live for years to come.
Here are 12 essential to dos after closing on your new home:
1. Re-Key Locks
Make arrangements to have all your locks re-keyed. As nice as your sellers may have been, you don’t know who has been given keys over the years to your new home and you don’t want any unannounced visitors.
If you’ve purchased an older home, this is also the time to have all your doors keyed the same or explore modern technology for keyless entry. If there are garage door keypads and other keyless entry devices, now is the time to change the codes.
2. Deep Clean
Most agreements of purchase and sales state a home is to be delivered in broom swept condition and free of all debris. That does not mean it will be sparkling clean with the windows washed and floors sparkling. While the house is empty, and before you start placing furniture, now is the time to do a thorough, deep clean of your new home. You will never have an opportunity like this again.
3. Store Documents in A Secure Spot
It will be very helpful down the road if you store all of the important documents from your real estate purchase (i.e. Agreement of Purchase and Sale, lawyer’s closing documents, title insurance policy) in a spot where you can find it in a moments notice.
4. Child Proof Your House
If you have young children, childproofing your house is probably one of the first things you’d want to do. The previous owner may be long past those days and wasn’t concerned with such matters. Get out the baby gates, secure the cabinets, cover the outlets, etc….
5. Find Shut Offs
Every homeowner should know where the main shut offs are for the water, gas and the electric. When you have a home inspection, a good home inspector will point out where the main shut offs are located. It is imperative to know where the shut offs are if an emergency should arise.
6. Check the Filter In Your Furnace
Make sure your furnace filter is clean and replace it if necessary. A clean filter is important to make sure your HVAC is running at peak efficiency. It is a good idea to get into the habit of replacing it every 1 to 3 months.
7. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Make sure you have the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors properly placed and that batteries are working. When it comes to safety there is nothing as simple and essential as having smoke and carbon detectors to protect your family.
8. Set and Understand Your Thermostat
Some thermostats are very simple but as technology advances many thermostats have become quite advanced. Take the time to learn your thermostat so you can save on energy bills. If owners manuals were not left behind you can certainly download them from the internet.
9. Make Sure Everyone is Notified
Now is the time to make sure everyone who needs to be notified of your move has been. This is the perfect time for a forgotten bill to slip thru the cracks and have late payments affect your credit score. You should have already notified Canada Post to forward mail. But as each item comes in check to see if it is your old address or your current address and notify accordingly. Aside from Canada Post, you should notify:
- Home and Auto Insurance
- Driver’s License, Health Card, Health Insurance
- Employer, Doctor, Dentist
- Canada Revenue Agency
- Cable TV/Home Phone/Internet Company
- Newspapers, Magazine Subscriptions and Other Mailings
- Memberships (Gym etc…)
- Bank, Credit Card Company, Financial Planner
- Utilities (Hydro, Gas)
10. Make a List and Plan of Must Do Repairs
Sometimes when you buy a home, some necessary repairs need to be made immediately or shortly after moving in. Take the time to assess the repair and get it scheduled. Pull out your home inspection to help project longer term maintenance issues that can wait but should not be forgotten. Also think about routine maintenance and make a list of what needs to be done and when. Replacing HVAC filters, testing smoke and carbon detectors, turning off the water outside for the winter months etc…
11. Emergency Plan
A new home means it’s time to discuss an emergency plan with the family. Don’t forget to plan a meeting place if you get separated during a home emergency. This is also a good time to check on local emergency rooms and urgent care facilities in the area.
12. Meet the Neighbours and Explore Your Surroundings
Now that you have completed your essential tasks after moving into your new home, it’s time to introduce yourself to the neighbours and explore your new surroundings! If you’re just moving across town, you probably already know where everything is but moving to a new community can leave you a little lost as you try to find the best grocery store and pharmacy for your everyday needs.
Getting to closing and moving in is exhausting process, and while there are some things that need to be addressed right away, remember to take some time for yourself and relax. You have a lifetime ahead of you to perfect your home and get it just the way you want it.
Source: merrimackvalleymarealestate.com