If you’ve just purchased your new home, then congratulations! You’ve overcome the stresses and anxieties of making an offer, inspecting your property, applying for a mortgage, and closing the deal – and that’s a big deal. It’s time to kick back and relax, right?
Unfortunately, not just yet. After you’ve finished purchasing a home, there are some things that you should take care of to ensure that you’re comfortable in your home for years to come. Here are 10 things to consider after you purchase your home.
Securing Your Home
One of the very first things you should do after purchasing your home is to set about making it secure. That means changing the locks, the code for the garage, and codes for any alarm systems. It’s an essential step before you move into the house.
Also have a hunt around under garden pots and door mats for any spare keys the previous owner might have forgotten about.
The reason behind all of this is that you don’t want the previous owners – and whoever else they gave a key to – to be able to enter your new home whenever they feel like it.
Ask them for the codes and manuals of any alarm systems in the house so you can safely change them to something more familiar with you and your family.
Review or Purchase your Home Warranty
Often when you purchase a property, it will come with a warranty that covers all the major systems and appliances inside.
After moving in, it’s a good time to review what’s covered in your warranty if you received one. If you didn’t, then it might be a good idea to purchase one yourself.
Home warranties differ in what they cover, so make sure that you select one that covers all the big-ticket items that might breakdown. These include water heaters, air conditioning units, and your kitchen appliances.
Connect Your Utilities
Before move-in day, it’s a smart move to connect all your essential utilities like water, gas, and electricity. It will ensure a smoother change from your old home into your new one and keep you comfortable while settling into your new place.
Check with the local providers to see what needs to be done, what ownership verification you’ll need, and how much time they’ll need to get around to connecting your house up under your name.
Other non-essential utilities like the internet and cable can probably wait until after you’ve moved in.
Double Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Safety in your new home is incredibly important, which is why it’s essential that you check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your house.
This might involve installing a fresh pair of batteries or buying new units. The ideal place for these detectors is in the hallways leading to your bedroom, as well as in the kitchen and laundry – the two main spots where a fire might start.
If you have two or three stories in your new home, have at least one on every level. Professionals recommend that you check and change the batteries every six months, so it’s a good idea to note it down on your yearly calendar.
Prioritise any Repairs and Maintenance
Your inspection should have turned up a list of issues with your new house. It’s a good idea to use this document as a checklist for repairs and maintenance.
Prioritise what needs to be done immediately, and what can wait for further down the line. Some problems, like leaky pipes or broken seals around windows and doors, can quickly get worse and will cost a lot more money if not addressed quickly. It’s a good time to create a maintenance schedule for your home as well.
Splash on a Fresh Coat of Paint
One of the easiest ways to turn your new house into a home is by giving the interior a fresh coat of paint. Nothing beats the fun of choosing colour schemes for a new home – it’s your chance to get your new home off on the right foot. Whether it’s a DIY job or you hire a team of professionals, a fresh coat of paint before you move in all the furniture is a solid idea.
Locate and Understand the Circuit Box
Finally, another thing to do after you purchase your home is to find the circuit box and make yourself understand it. Find and test the emergency shut offs and add labels to everything if they’re missing.
This will help you understand which circuit goes to which room or appliance in case of an emergency. Understanding all these things will help you act effectively in case something goes wrong in your new home.
Purchase Home Insurance
Finally, one of the most important things you can do after buying your new home is to purchase home insurance. Protecting your home and everything inside is a sensible thing to do, as you never know what can happen. NRMA offers different levels of coverage for homes, depending on what you’re after.
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