Buying your dream home can be exciting and fulfilling. However, amidst all the happiness and celebration, there’s still a lot you need to do to ensure a smooth homeownership experience. Discussed below are six things you should do after buying a new home.
Get additional insurance
Most homeowner’s insurance policies are set up before closing on the home. However, they may not fully protect your home, warranting you to consider additional insurance. Shop around and compare various home insurance quotes to see what they cover, how best they suit your needs, and their affordability. If you live in a high-risk flooding area, get additional insurance to protect your home against flooding damages.
There are several financial and legal issues associated with buying a new home, including remodeling contractor problems, property line disputes, home warranty concerns, and more. Legal insurance allows you access to professionals who can handle any legal issues that may arise and advise you on how to avoid legal problems, to begin with. Home insurance companies will also reward you if you have sprinklers, or other items, in your home that will minimize the damage of a fire. You can find quality products from CLK supplies.
Consider home warranties
Home warranties supplement your homeowner’s insurance. They provide discounted replacement and repair services on your home’s major components, including HVAC, furnace, water heaters, stoves, electrical systems, plumbing, and appliances such as dryers, dishwashers, swimming pools, refrigerators, and more.
Home warranties protect against costly, unexpected repair bills that may slow down your home’s operations, giving you peace of mind. They can benefit homeowners without emergency funds or want to reserve the funds for other things. Home warranties are offered through annual or monthly fee contracts.
Secure your home
Changing garage codes and locks is the first thing you should do, especially when moving to a home previously owned by others. Find hidden spare keys to avoid unauthorized access into your home. Invest in a home security system to protect your property from intruders. You can install outdoor lighting to keep your home lit even at night, keeping away burglars and thieves. Be sure to get a reliable internet plan to monitor your home when you’re away.
Motion-sensor lights are an ideal option if you don’t want to keep your home lit all the time. You can also install smart lights to make it seem like you’re always home even when you’re not.
Create a home maintenance schedule
A home maintenance schedule consists of tasks that aren’t included in the daily cleaning and organizing routine. It may consist of weekly, monthly, and annual activities you can do to keep your home functioning optimally, ensuring longevity. Maintaining your home also helps retain its value. Create a monthly and seasonal home maintenance checklist and stick to it. Hire professionals for tasks that require expertise for proper functionality, including the HVAC system. You can also plan for regular home inspections to identify problems on time and fix them before they get worse.
Set up utilities
Depending on where you live and your lease terms, utilities may include electricity, natural gas, water and sewer, trash pick-up, cable, and internet. Know who your providers are and contact them to set up utilities in your new home. You can transfer or cancel your existing utilities and set up new ones. For example, you’ll be able to look for providers of the internet near me if your old provider does not operate in the new location. Double-check to ensure everything is up and running before moving in. Beware of the costs involved however, including the utility transfer fee, new service setup, and processing costs. You should also ensure to confirm your account information and make sure any cancelled utilities are processed as required.
Set up your new address
Setting up your new address after buying a new house ensures that you get your mail on time. You can file for a permanent or temporary change of address with the postal service depending on how long you’ll live there, then notify the post office. You should also inform your employer, credit card companies, bank, utility providers, newspapers and magazines, clubs and associations, and government offices about your change of address.
Endnote
The home buying process can be overwhelming. However, you shouldn’t overlook what you should do upon closing on the home purchase. Consider doing the things discussed above after buying a new home.