Buying a new home is one of the most exciting and expensive things you are likely to do within your lifetime. Spending time researching the area you want to move to, finding the dream property, and then actually getting an offer accepted feels like it should be the end of the process, but this is only the halfway point.
The reality is, there is a lot to do during the second half of the home-buying process – and so it’s very easy to find yourself getting frustrated or forgetting to do something during this time if you haven’t sat down and planned it out.
With that in mind, here are a few considerations for you to think about when you buy a new home:
Insurance or Warranties?
Organizing and arranging your insurance and cover is essential when you are purchasing a property. You should make sure to organize your building insurance before you move in. This will usually be prompted by your mortgage lender but always check that you have it. Then you need to decide between home insurance and home warranties. Home insurance tends to focus on the building itself while a warranty focuses on your possessions. Researching insurance and good home warranty rankings is essential before you move into your property.
Organize Your Power Suppliers
As soon as you have the keys to your new property before you have moved in your possessions, you should check the meter readings for your gas and electric and make sure to take a photo. This will act as good evidence in case the previous residents try to leave you with an energy bill. When you do this, you should also think about who will supply your energy. It can often work out to be cheaper to swap to someone else, but it can be more hassle.
Sort Out Your Security
It is unlikely but not unheard of those newly purchased properties are often the targets for robberies and break-ins. This will likely not be the previous owner, but you never know. You should think about changing the locks, setting new alarm codes, or purchasing new alarm products. If the previous owner does try to return uninvited then they will likely know any weak spots in the current system. Equally, if you have been lugging your stuff in over a few days, it will not have gone unnoticed by potential thieves.
Deep Cleaning
No matter the state of the property when you move in, it will not feel like your own until you get it cleaned to your standard. You never know what has been left behind. If there is furniture, then the previous owner may not have cleaned behind it for years. Make sure to spend time cleaning the bathroom and kitchen in particular.
The Bottom Line
As previously mentioned, there is likely a lot going on in and around your head. You should take time to plan out what you need to do and what the best way to do that is. Make sure that before you set foot across that threshold you have done everything you need to so that your move-in goes as smoothly as possible.
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Nice article; I never thought to check the meters when moving in! One of our 1st changes upon purchasing a home is to remove/replace all wall-to-wall carpet. We have NO idea what’s under that stuff, esp. if former owners had pets!
Old carpet is the first thing to go at any new house I buy too. It is then replaced with fresh carpet or new flooring. Wallpaper goes too, but usually not immediately.