It’s official! You just bought a house. The deal is done, and the keys are in your hand. So, what are your next steps? Should you start packing up boxes and call a moving truck?
Not yet. These are some steps that you should tackle first.
1. Secure Your New Home
It seems strange to change your locks right after getting the keys to the house, but you should do it right away. You don’t want the previous homeowners or any other strangers to access your place, especially after you’ve moved in. So, go ahead and change the locks for all the entrances.
Do not put copies of your keys anywhere where burglars can find them — not under the welcome mat, under flowerpots, or in the mailbox. If you’re worried about accidentally locking yourself out, you should keep a copy of your key in a heavy-duty lockbox.
What are some other things you can do to secure your new home?
- Change the locks for exterior spaces, like storage sheds and garages.
- Set up a home security system.
- Install motion-detector lights around your entrances.
- Add curtains or blinds to uncovered windows before moving in.
2. Set Up Utilities
You don’t want to move into a house that’s cold and dark. So, you need to set up your utilities before you bring in your belongings.
What are some utilities that you might need to set up?
- Natural gas
- Electricity
- Water
- Internet
3. Prepare for Emergencies
Before you move in, set aside some time to prepare for household emergencies like floods, fires, power outages, and roof leaks. How can you prepare?
Start an Emergency Fund
First things first, you should start putting together an emergency fund if you don’t have one already. An emergency fund is essential for every homeowner. When an urgent repair or replacement is needed, you can go to your emergency fund and withdraw the necessary savings to resolve the problem.
What if you don’t have enough savings? Maybe you’ll encounter an emergency early on in homeownership. Maybe a leak springs in your roof, or you notice there’s a mouse infestation in the basement. If you don’t have enough in your emergency fund, you can go to a website like CreditFresh and see whether you qualify for a personal online loan in your state. With the right qualifications, you can apply.
An approved personal loan can help you cover your emergency expense in a short amount of time. After making the repair or replacement, you can repay the personal loan through a straightforward billing cycle.
Test Your Smoke Alarms
Test your smoke alarms to see if they work. Check your carbon monoxide detectors, too.
Get Fire Extinguishers
You should have fire extinguishers on every floor, particularly in rooms that will have fire hazards like stoves or fireplaces.
Check the Electrical Panel
Check your electrical panel to see which switches control the power in your rooms. Test them out and label them (for instance, “2nd-floor bathroom”).
Check Your Water Shut-Off Valve
Your home will have a main shutoff valve for the water supply. In certain plumbing emergencies, you will need to run to this valve and turn it off. This could save you thousands of dollars in water damage.
Don’t skip these steps! Cross them off your to-do list before you even think of moving in.
