Top 10 New Homeowner Checklist

okay so you made it through and you just got word that you're a homeowner congratulations but now what the next few days or even weeks may feel like a bit of a blur so I thought it'd be helpful to give you a little checklist of things you may not think of to get settled here is a list of 10 things that will help you make your new house home number one change the exterior locks while the previous owners would have left the keys there at the house for you you you never know who may have a spare key contractors Realtors friends or family of the past owner before moving in either change the locks yourself which is an excuse to go buy some really nice ones you love or have a locksmith change the locks for you don't forget the door leading to the garage and from the garage to the interior of the house number two deep clean depending on how meticulous the last owner was this could be a quick task or one that takes a few days from the baseboards and Floors to the inside of drawers and cabinets and all the obvious cleaning nothing feels better than a freshly cleaned home before you start moving in your boxes and Furniture if it's going to be too much spoil yourself and hire a one-time cleaning from a cleaning service number three paint walls and ceilings this is really up to you and the home may not even need it my tip here is if painting is needed do it before you move anything in it will make the job go more quickly so you can move in that much sooner number four replace worn accessories we're talking things like electrical plug covers switch plates door knobs and light fixtures these are easy things to swap out yourself without having to spend a lot of money but it can really give those final touches to make your new home pop number five transfer utilities hopefully your realtor would have given you the utility company information before you closed if not send s them a quick request to get that info for you so you can go online or make a call to have the utilities transferred into your name and start service there's nothing worse than getting to moving day and realizing the power is off and you have to wait a day or two to get it back on also depending on your area don't forget about setting up Waste Management we always remember the easy ones but trash often gets forgotten number six clean and service heating and cooling systems your home inspector would have checked your f fils but if they need to be replaced this will be the time you may also want to have a heating and air company come out and do a service of your systems so that you're ready for the hot or cold months to come number seven set up pest maintenance this is not mandatory but a great idea to set up ongoing pest maintenance for things like spiders ants and termites most companies provide quarterly or monthly service which will prevent any future issues number eight change your address make sure sure to update the post office your bank and all the companies that you have accounts with so that they have your current information remember things like your car insurance cell phone provider health or life insurance your employer and even the DMB you'll want to get your dri's license updated with your new address also number nine save your closing packet and a copy of your home warranty make sure to keep all of your closing documents together in a safe place this includes your closing disclosure promisory note mortgage and deed it also is a great idea to keep a copy of your home warranty information if you received one you never know when you may need to use it and the receipt shows the phone number to call and your plan number so you can make a service appointment number 10 review and update your household budget your finances just changed and numbers moved around a bit maybe you've added a homeowners association fee and your utilities may vary from your last home this is a great time to sit down and review all of your new expenses so you can be smart about your budget you own that home don't let it own you I hope these tips help enjoy your new home and make sure to watch my other videos that equip you as a homeowner join me again next week as we continue to grow home wise together do you have a question about buying or selling a home please like this video and leave a comment with that burning question you have so I can answer it for you I'm cath materiali thank thank you for joining me and becoming home wives see you next week

Channel: Katherine Materiale

Views: 19,305

Keywords: HomeWise

Id: 9w7rynngQv4

Length: 4min 49sec (289 seconds)

Published: Tue May 09 2017