Things Every Homeowner Should Do After Closing

You have gone through the entire process of buying a home. From house hunting to making an offer to your final walkthrough , you have finally secured the keys to your new home. 

But, it’s important to remember that the work doesn’t stop as soon as you close on your new home. In fact, in many cases, it’s just the beginning. 

Here are some things every homeowner should do after closing.

When buying a home, there are a lot of documents that will be signed and executed.  Some of these documents may be needed in the future for a variety of reasons. 

After closing, it’s important that you get copies of all the documents from the buying process as well as the closing.  Make sure that you store these documents in a safe place, such as a safe or private filing cabinet.

If you purchased a new home that has never been owned by anyone else, you may not need to do this. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to change every lock on your home. You never know if the former owners gave their house key to anyone else. 

You can use this opportunity to upgrade the locks to what works best for you. You can choose a typical key lock, a lock that requires a four digit code (which is a great option for kids who may lose their keys often), or even locks that can be opened remotely with a phone app.

Although it’s not a glamorous task, it’s an important one. Make a list of things you need to do from day one. Some tasks on the list may need to be done in the beginning days of your home ownership or on a regular basis going forward.

You may need to start with simple things like setting up your trash pickup and weekly lawn service. Then set up reminders on regular maintenance, like changing filters and sprinkler blowouts.

Before you start moving in the substantial pieces of furnishings, measure. Measure each room’s dimensions and windows. Measure the height of items such as an island or cabinets. You may or may not need these measurements from day one, but it is much easier to do before your home is full of everyday items.

After closing on a new home , it’s important to alert important people and companies about your new home. The first one that may come to mind is the USPS. Informing them of your new move will ensure none of your mail goes undelivered! 

Below are a few of the other important people and/or companies to alert of a new address.

This can be a fun step after you close on your home. Make it a point to meet the other people around you. They can be invaluable sources of information about local ‘things to know’, and may end up being close family friends.

Many homeowners join groups on Meetup.com, which can help you connect with other new residents in your area who have the same interests.

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