Jan 11

Jan 11 Congrats on Your New Home - Seven Tasks to Complete After Closing

Congratulations on your new home! There are so many steps in the home buying process and you are not quite done yet. Once you have successfully completed the loan approval and in the days before closing, this important task list will help you on the day of or shortly after closing. Packing and moving can be exciting and sometimes stressful. Hopefully this list will help you to make a smooth transition into your new home.

Seven important tasks to complete when you buy a home:

Change or re-key your locks - The Seller will give you keys, but you never know who may have a key and it’s important for your security to change the locks. If the home has a keypad, update the keypad and change the codes.
Call the utilities to start service in your name - Form 22K in the offer should have a list of the utility companies. Also, schedule for your cable, internet, and phone hook-ups at the new house to avoid any interruption. ** It is advisable to do this 1-2 weeks before closing.
Contact your insurance company to make sure your coverage has started and make sure you still have coverage at your previous home up until you are completely moved-in and done in the previous home.
Make sure you have copies of all your documents from the closing and store them in a safe place in hard copy, as well as “in the cloud”.
Perform any necessary maintenance or repairs. You may be able to use your home inspection as your “to do” list of repairs to make now and for notes about things that need regular maintenance, such as servicing the furnace and changing the filters. There are also maintenance tasks suggested to happen seasonally, such as winterizing hose bibs & irrigation, cleaning gutters, changing the batteries in smoke & CO detectors, etc… You may also be planning to paint and may want to hire a cleaning company, carpet cleaning company, and/or air duct cleaning company to help give you a fresh start at the new home.
Create a change of address with USPS and update your address for all your bills, employer, friends & family, DMV, etc… make a checklist of all the people & places specific for you.
Consider whether or not you would like a home security system, Ring doorbell, or motion sensor lights. Get to know your neighbors. Consider joining NextDoor and other neighborhood networking groups.

Call, text, or email to let me know if you can think of other things to add to this list. Every home is different, but this list is intended to help you with some of the most important tasks to address in the days just before and after closing. Contact me anytime with thoughts and questions. I am always here to help after you close and move in, anytime you have questions, to help any friends, and of course in the future when you are looking into selling and buying your next home.

Jennifer Suemnicht - Jen's Realty - RE/MAX Metro Realty, Inc.

www.JensRealty.com / 206-550-1676 / jen@jensrealty.com