You Bought a Home and Moved In! Congrats! Now What?

After you’ve unpacked your boxes and made your first cup of tea or coffee in your new home, finish the moving-in process by completing the following steps.

1. Make a Great First Impression

Your new neighbors are probably just as excited about your moving in as you are. They’ll be watching to see what kind of neighbor you’re going to be. Make a great first impression by taking some time to enhance the outside of your home. Spend an afternoon planting some perennials along your sidewalk. Replace that burned out bulb in your lamppost. These little niceties will let your new neighbors know you intend to do your part to make the neighborhood look attractive.

2. Make a House Binder

Your new home will need tender loving care and maintenance over the years. Make everything convenient by putting together a house binder. This binder will hold all of your appliance warranty paperwork, a list of contractors, sample swaths of upholstery coverings, paint swatches along with the names of the color you painted each room and more. You can even include a gardening tab with a diagram of where you planted certain shrubs and flowers around the yard. As time goes by, you’ll refer to this valuable resource again and again.

3. Change the Locks

The previous owners of your new home likely made extra key copies to give to relatives, domestic help or college kids to use when the owners weren’t home to open the door. You don’t want keys to your new home floating around the world. Change the locks or have locks replaced so that you know that you and your family or trusted relatives are the only ones who can gain entry. Be sure to include garage doors and shed doors. A local locksmith can perform this task for you in one afternoon.

4. Consider Getting a Property Survey

If haven’t had one already and you’re planning to install a fence or swimming pool on your property, it definitely pays to get a professional survey of the land surrounding your home. You don’t want to spend thousands on new fencing, a shed or pool and find out that you’ve accidentally encroached on your neighbor’s land. Check your local town hall first to see if a property survey already exists. Otherwise, a local engineer can do the job for you.

These first steps to take after you move in will make your home truly feel like it belongs to you. They will also safeguard you, your family and your property.