5 Things to Do After Closing on Your New Home

Congratulations on your new home! It's full of potential and empty rooms ready for a fresh coat of paint. It’s exciting to move into a new home but it’s also easy to get carried away. There are a handful of things you need to do when you first move into a home and a few things you need to hold back on.

Here are our 5 tips for getting settled in your new home: ​

Get Insured
Mortgage lenders require you to purchase homeowners insurance, generally enough to fully replace the property, but you may need more. If you share your home with dependents you’ll want life insurance to help cover expenses in the event of your death. If you are located in a flood-zone you will want additional flood coverage to protect you. Reach out to a trusted insurance agent to talk about what insurance is best for you.

Don’t Overspend
It’s easy to get excited about furnishing a new house, but take it slow. Being a homeowner comes with a decent price tag and you need to be prepared for potential repairs down the road. Not to mention, you now are the proud owner of trash, water and insurance bills. It’s okay to replace your old furniture, but you need to be smart about it.

Address Maintenance Concerns
If there were maintenance concerns brought up during your inspection that were not fixed by the seller, address them as soon as possible. Ignoring maintenance concerns often leads to a bigger problem down the road, costing you more money. Make a list of concerns around the house, such as a roof leak, slow drains or sticky windows, prioritize your list and get working! (Unless you are a plumber or electrician please hire a professional when working on these types of repairs.)

Meet Your Neighbors
Take a few minutes to meet your closest neighbors. If you are in a single family home try to meet the 8 people in a circle around you. If you are in condo or townhome, introduce yourself to everyone who shares a wall or ceiling/floor with you. Learn their names, become familiar with their cars and faces. This is not only a safety measure, but can come in handy in case of emergency down the road or when you need just one more egg. 

Label Your Breaker Box
Older homes often come with unorganized breakers, leaving you flipping switches at random when you blow a breaker. Take some time when you first move in to test all the breakers and label them clearly.

Welcome to the wonderful world of homeownership! Remember to ask your real estate agent for references to trusted professionals!