After you finish signing at the closing of your new house, you’re handed the keys and the house is officially yours. It’s much easier to paint an empty room than a room packed with furniture. The average move calls for about 60 boxes so you could likely spend several weekends just unpacking. RATE SEARCH: Check Refinance Rates1. So you just closed on your mortgage and moved into your new house. There you have it! Double-check what the warranty covers, and — more importantly — what it doesn’t cover. “When I write up an offer, I’m always asking the seller to pay for a home warranty,” explains top-selling Charlotte real estate agent Greg Martin. Make sure to notify your friends and family. But it’s not over yet! The store stocks everything from international snacks to bed frames, but it’s best finds include accent living room pieces, uniquely patterned chairs, and side tables recommended by interior design magazine Domino. Create a housing budget 4. Here’s a complete list of what you need to do after buying your home. Make sure everyone in your house signs up for community notifications or weather warnings on their cellphones, giving everyone ample time to respond in the event of an emergency. Do a quick walk around the external perimeter of the home to check that all roof downpipes are discharging into stormwater soak wells and not just onto the ground. You still have to move in, customize the house to your needs, and make sure you’re prepared for the rigors of homeownership. However, with careful planning, it doesn’t have to be such a daunting experience! You can get hide-a-key rocks and figurines online, so hide one in your yard or garden and ensure you’re never locked out. A Primer, Fireplaces Don’t Add Value Like They Once Did, But You Can Still Enjoy One, from air conditioners to plumbing to simply rekeying your house, good idea to hire a professional to inspect your septic system, A three day supply of non-perishable food (don’t forget pet food, too), One gallon of water per person per day, and more if you have pets, Prescription and non-prescription medications. Take stock of your lawn care essentials According to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the largest water and wastewater utilities in the nation, most homes will have a round wheel handle valve or lever valve, which you’ll turn to the right to shut-off. Sump pumps are amazing if they’re used correctly, but if not, they can lead to thousands of dollars worth of damage. This checklist is merely intended to help cover some details that new homeowners might not have considered and a way to get acclimated to a new place with a positive first step. Those Last Steps Before Closing You've undoubtedly reviewed the home inspection report and other types of inspection reports … Create an annual maintenance schedule on your calendar If you’re busy moving, it’s alright to simply express gratitude without inviting folks inside, but you will want to send thanks with a note or kind words. And what about earthquake insurance? Does your neighborhood have a neighborhood watch? To avoid stress, don’t schedule the event just after you move in, and don’t make things more complicated with an exhaustive dinner party. Does the neighborhood have an annual block party or barbecue? It’s a good idea to hire a professional to inspect your septic system, if you didn’t do so during closing of your loan. Here are 9 things you should do after buying a home. A buying a house checklist that covers everything you need to help get you through the process of making an offer on a house. There is hope for recovery, for a new life, and a restored home and Rainbow International is here to help. House Fire Checklist There are so many emotions and so many questions following a house fire that it’s hard to know what to do next - who do you call, where do you begin, and when is it safe to reenter your home? The National Fire Protection Association also recommends the following: Designate a tornado safe spot These duties include: Go and say hello to your new neighbors! This step-by-step checklist and timeline will help take away the headache of moving house. If you’re unsure where to start, we’ve got a new house checklist you can follow to help. Check the heat on your water heater and reset it if you aren’t comfortable with the temperature setting. You might not want a home that looks furnished from sales bins and yard sales. Breaking the ice with neighbors can be as simple as an afternoon open house. Remember that lush, green lawn that made you fall in love with the home? The joy of a custom home is that you can design it specifically to meet your needs, and while this is wonderful for you, it may not be ideal if you ever have to sell your home. “A lot of times buyers believe a home warranty covers the home carte blanche, and that’s often not the case,” explains top Asheville, NC real estate agent Josh Mimken. However, if you feel particularly in synch with a neighbor or two, don’t be shy about sharing your contact info, says Daignault: “If you feel comfortable, share number with at least two. Complete this checklist after moving in to ensure you’re ready to live in and take care of your new place. Here’s a complete list of what you need to do after buying your home. I recommend it for everybody,” continues Martin. Make sure that before you move into your new home, you change all the locks, garage codes, and security codes. First and foremost, if you don’t have a fireproof file box, get one to store your important documentation in. Shop the best furniture deals Do you need to document your belongings for your new homeowners’ insurance policy? The California Earthquake Authority has a premium calculator on their site, although you do have to purchase insurance through a participating insurance company. We covered all of the things to buy for a new house checklist. And be prepared … This is no small list! You should test your fire and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year. Confirm and update your home warranty policy The pros at ImproveNet, a trusted online resource that’s been home improvement tips for over 20 years, pulled together the top ten gardening tools that every homeowner with a yard needs: If you’re moving in during winter months, pick up an ergonomic snow shovel that’s garnered rave reviews from the pros at The Wirecutter. Much. It should emit a siren within a few seconds. Next, find the circuit box and make sure your fuses or switches are well-labeled. Your ability to get out of a house fire safely can largely depend on your preparedness beforehand. Once you’ve closed on the home, take an afternoon to change the lock yourself, or hire a locksmith, which costs an average of $153. Now what? Emergency kits should include items like: You can tailor your emergency kit, so sit down and make a list of those day-to-day items your family needs. Save for a … Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. But there some things you should do to make sure your transition from your old place to your new The Roto Rooter website has some great step-by-step videos for checking your sump pump and maintaining it properly. To steer clear of regrettable purchases, follow these tips: Settling into your new home means creating a safe environment. But now’s also a critical time to start getting familiar with the area, make sure any documents from the purchase don’t get lost, and make a house feel like home. Change locks and update keypads Leave invitations with your contact info door to door, and ask guests to RSVP if they’re available. Understand why you want to buy a house 2. Searching for gossip or badmouthing the neighborhood with people you’ve barely met, says Post. Find top real estate agents in these similar cities, HomeLight has an A+ rating with the Download our Moving House Checklist Moving house can be a stressful process that requires a lot of hard work. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or buying your second or third home, these are the steps you should take after buying a new home. If you’re unsure about how to introduce yourself, a small party can be a great icebreaker for meeting your neighbors as well. You should also look for any signs of past flooding or excess water flow around the roof downpipe bases, as this often indicates that the soak wells are not suitably sized or require cleaning out, which can cost an arm and a leg. It can encompass growing your own food, raising animals, and producing your own energy, among other things. Neighbors can be an incredible resource for the goings-on in the neighborhood, and can also give recommendations for handymen, landscaping, and so on. Check your toolbox for these necessities, or assemble one for the first time to avoid numerous trips tor your local hardware store. Make sure you know how to shut off your water in case a faucet breaks or a sink starts leaking. Remember, the work isn’t done just because you got the keys to the front door! Next is your employer — this one is important and frequently forgotten, so make sure you drop your HR department a line so they can update their records. Expert in all things etiquette, Emily Post says it’s more about timing. Sometimes real estate agents will try to negotiate a home warranty to be paid by the seller for a year or so. If you don’t, you probably should now that you have a large asset. Are there neighborhood meetings you should be attending? Instead of panicking and buying a lawnmower when the grass is knee-high, take a look at the lawn care tools you have, and what you’ll need to get through the season. It includes essentials for safety, first aid, furniture, kitchen, yardwork and Don’t make the mistake of forgetting your creditors! While you hope for the best, dedicate some move-in time to prepare for emergencies at home. If you’re looking for bohemian-inspired decor on a budget, you can’t do better than World Market. Congratulations! Source: (erica steeves/ Unsplash) The thing is, you … What It Costs to Remodel a Kitchen: Here’s the Typical Price Tag, Sheltered Home Shopping: I Bought a House in Tampa During Coronavirus, Buying in the City (When Everyone Else is Leaving For the Suburbs! The Moving House Checklist explains what you need to do in order to stay on top of the move and avoid stressing out. Things to buy for a new house checklist Asking yourself, ‘what. In case of emergency, you definitely need to know where everything is in your new home! The goal is to exchange names and let your neighbors know who’s now living down the block. When she's not combing her neighborhood for open houses, she's writing about technology, real estate or data. But what’s the difference? You can walk away and celebrate? It’s a great way to keep in touch without being too in your face.”. They are located in the basement or crawl space of a home, and they ensure that if there is standing water in your home, it is pumped out into your storm sewer or a containment pond. They can keep an eye on your home when you are away, or serve as a resource for any neighborhood questions.”. Before the move, take note of the closest hardware store, grocery, and convenience store — it’s inevitable that you’ll make several trips to each during the move-in process. Before you start house hunting, you should learn how to prepare to buy a home. The complete first house checklist (or next house) of things you need when moving into a new house. During a natural disaster, the first directive is often to shut off the gas, so it’s super important to know where the gas shutoff valve is. Home warranties cover a whole host of things, from air conditioners to plumbing to simply rekeying your house. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, almost half of all home fires where an alarm doesn’t sound are because of a dead battery or a battery removed from a smoke alarm. One thing to avoid? “If something happens and you call the warranty company, then they will send somebody out. In the United States, more than 20% of homes rely on a septic system for treating wastewater. However, in the event that you’re hurt, you should never drive yourself to the emergency room. 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