New Homeowner Checklist

You did it! You signed the papers, did the walk throughs, and now you are officially a new homeowner. Along with all your fun plans for your new place, there are a few things that should probably happen sooner, than later. But, don’t worry, I’ve pulled together a handy, New Homeowner Checklist to help!

Okay, first things first....

Confirm Home Warranty Coverage: Often re-keying & Furnace/AC tune ups are included in your coverage.
Change Your Locks: A best practice following a home purchase is to change your locks. Either schedule a locksmith to come to you or remove all the door handles from exterior facing doors and take them directly to be re-keyed. You can also purchase a kit to do the re-keying yourself.
Change Your Address: Your mail will be forwarded by USPS simply by filling out a change of address form. Make sure to notify any subscription services of your new address – hello wine club and Amazon shipments! And, if you are moving from out of state, you will need a new driver’s license and an updated vehicle registration too.
Set up Smart Home Features & Security System: If the user manual was not left behind by the previous home owner, instructions can often can be found online.
Identify Water Shutoff & Electrical Breakers: For routine repairs and in the case of an emergency, it’s important to locate your home’s water shutoff and electrical breaker panel.
Prioritize Repairs: Bust out that inspection report and determine when and how to address each item. Some things may be easier to repair or change before you move in.
Invest in Pest Control: Depending on the time of year you purchased your home, the inspector may not have seen any evidence of pests. Unfortunately, trails of sugar ants tend to pop up from nowhere. I’ve found a yearly spray from my fave company, All Pest Control does a lot to calm my yearly freak out.
Connect with Local Online Communities: 'Buy Nothing' Groups on Facebook are a great resource to part with unwanted items without creating waste. The Nextdoor mobile app and website can help you learn more about your new community.
Sell or Donate Boxes: Tired of looking at boxes yet? I've found the easiest way to get rid of them is to post on your local Facebook group or if you want to make little dough, www.usedcardboardboxes.com will pick them up and pay you too!