Buying your first or next home is a major step in life, and after you’ve closed on your new digs it may feel like you’ve finally won the race and can take a breather! While you may now be the proud owner of a new home, the process is not over quite yet. You still have a few more steps to go to get your home ready for living!

Put New Locks on Your Home

Changing the locks on your home may seem like an obvious step, but many new homeowners forget this stage. Since you do not know who has access to the house via the old locks, it is crucial to have your entrances re-keyed for safety and peace of mind. To exchange your locks, you can purchase DIY kits or call a locksmith to come out and replace your locks. For older homes, you may consider hiring a professional as the building standards for locks have changed, which can cause challenges during installation. 

Hook Up All Utilities

When the homeowners leave the premises, they will shut off utility services. You will want to reach out to the utility providers that handle water, electricity, fuel, cable, etc., and have your utilities turned on as soon as possible. It may be beneficial to reach out early before the closing date to arrange setups if for some reason they cannot activate your services for several days. The last thing you want is to move in and not have access to necessities for a few days!

Get Your New Address Set Up

If you have purchased a home in the past, this isn’t your first rodeo. You know that you have a lot of work to do to update your addresses. From bank accounts to magazine subscriptions, you will need to update all of your billing and shipping addresses. For most mail, you can forward it through the post office to your new address, but you should still swap over the mailing address on your account as the post office will only forward mail for a few months during your transition. Make sure you also let your friends and family know that you have updated your address! 

Become Familiar With Your New Place

Every home is unique, and as you get settled into your new living space, you should learn about the setup. Emergencies happen, and understanding how to address them as they arise is key to keeping your new house in good shape. Take a walkthrough of the home and find the water and gas (if applicable) shutoffs. If you have a water or gas leak, you will not have long to shut these off, so you will want to know how to access them quickly. You will also want to locate your circuit breaker and ensure it is properly labeled. If not, you will have to manually test and label them, which will come in handy if you plan on doing repairs or renovations to your home.

Update Insurance & Warranties 

Lastly, on our post-closing checklist, you will want to reach out to your insurance and home warranty providers to ensure you have adequate protection for your home. Home warranties cover many major appliances such as refrigerators, plumbing systems, HVAC, and more which can be especially useful if you are a first-time homebuyer. Secondly, it is helpful to double-check that you have a home insurance policy suitable to your home value and the assets housed within. Some homeowner policies require an itemized report of your belongings to provide coverage in the event of a disaster. 

We know it felt like the hurdles were over, but all of these steps are intended to help you ease into a comfortable living situation in your new home. If you have questions or need help with recommendations for various home needs, reach out to us at info@strongwillvt.com