New Homeowners: What to Do Before You Settle In

After searching high and low, you found “the one”. Congratulations! You’re a new homeowner. Once escrow closes, you get to move into your new home. Ah, the excitement. But before you do that, you might want to take a few moments to complete some very important tasks first.

New Homeowners: What to Do Before You Settle In

Change Those Locks!

First and foremost, change the locks. Yes, you received a set of keys at closing. However, you don’t know how many other sets of keys are out there (if any). That leaves you vulnerable to would-be thieves. For your general safety and peace of mind, replace all of the locks to your exterior doors. It might also be a great opportunity to change your front door to a keyless entry for a high-tech security option.

Walk Around

Before a stick of furniture gets moved in is the best time to take one good hard look at your new Southern California home. Walk around both inside and out. Make sure you know where to find the water shutoff, locate the water heater, and find your electrical box. Make sure others in the household know where to locate all of these as well. The more people who know, the better off you are in case of an emergency.

Change the Batteries

You hope the old homeowners kept up with battery changes on the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. However, not all homeowners are vigilant about those things. So, take this opportunity to refresh those batteries. Again, good for your family’s safety as well as your own peace of mind.

Get to Cleaning

As a new homeowner, treat yourself to a nice deep cleaning from a professional service. They’ll go through your entire home, top to bottom, to make sure everything is sparkling clean when you move in. I understand, though, that you just spent a ton of money buying your new home. So, paying a professional may be out of your budget right now. In that case, rent a steam cleaner from your local grocery or big box home improvement store. Then, get to cleaning those carpets and other upholstery. Wipe down all the cabinets and drawers. Scrub the windows and window sills. Just go through each room to make sure all the cobwebs and dust bunnies exit your home post haste.

Say “Hi” to the Neighbors

Finally, go out and introduce yourself to your new neighbors. Too often, we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Getting to know your neighbors allows you to create a sense of community right away. This will prove invaluable as you make this house your home. Again, congratulations on becoming a new homeowner.

Muna Dionne, your Inland Empire specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty