Top Seven Things To Do After You Close On Your New Home

The day to close on your home has finally come, you signed your documents, and you walked away with the keys. Before you schedule the moving truck, there are some things you’ll want to do. Here are the seven tasks you should tackle after closing before moving in.

1. Copy Important Documents and Store Safely

You might be dying to grab the paintbrushes and start painting your home, but before you do, make sure your documents are secure. Your survey map, appraisal, and loan documents should be copied appropriately and stored. A safe or personal filing cabinet is a great option, or you can scan these documents and upload them to a secure cloud-based website.

2. Change the Locks

Unless you are personal friends with your seller, you need to change your locks. You have no way of knowing who had access to the locks to your home before you were handed the keys at closing. For a few hundred dollars, you can have peace of mind that you are the only one who has access to the home.

3. Change Keypad Codes

Similarly, if the home or property has any electronic keypads, change the code. Again, you don’t want the seller or anyone the seller knew having access to your new home. Changing the keypad code adds a security layer because you have no way of knowing who the seller gave their code to when they owned the house.

4. Let People Know You Moved

Friends and family need to know that you moved and what your new address is. You also need to let your utility provider, credit card company, and other billers know of your new address. One of the best ways to do this is to alert the postal service of your address change, so your mail will get forwarded. Then, contact your financial institutions, insurance companies, utility providers, medical offices, schools, and similar organizations, so they know your new address.

5. Deep Clean the Home

Before you move in, do a thorough, deep cleaning of the space. The level of clean will depend on the condition of the home, but consider these tasks:

• Professional carpet cleaning
• Washing windows and window coverings
• Cleaning appliances
• Cleaning bathrooms
• Washing down walls
• Scrub grout

You don’t want to move into someone else’s grit and grime, so tackle these tasks before you make your move.

6. Paint the Walls and Ceilings

It’s far easier to clean if you do it before you move your belongings into the home, so take on this task early. Give everything a fresh coat of paint, and don’t forget the ceilings. This job will go quickly when you’re not living in the home.

7. Meet Your New Neighbors

Even while you’re freshening up the home, take some time to meet your neighbors. Exchange contact information, so you have someone who can give you a call if something goes wrong in your home before you move in. Starting off on friendly terms with your neighbors will help you get established in your new community.

Moving into your new home is an exciting time, and it’s normal to feel anxious to move forward as soon as you sign the closing documents and get your keys. While this excitement is normal, take the time to perform these tasks first to make your move as smooth as possible.

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