New Homeowner? 10 Things to Do Immediately After Buying a House

October 2024 8 MIN READ

If you recently bought a home, first of all, congratulations! Becoming a homeowner is an incredible milestone, especially in the current homebuying landscape, and the first thing you do after closing and getting your keys is to take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, and bask in this impressive achievement.

Once you take the time to appropriately celebrate, you'll want to start thinking about creating a checklist for yourself with tasks that will help ensure your transition to homeownership is as smooth as possible and set you up for continued success in your new home. Below, we outline some of the most important things you should add to your to-do-list to set yourself up for as much success as possible in your new home.

1. Review Your Inspection Report

If you got a home inspection as part of the offer on your new home, you received a detailed report from your inspector noting any parts of your home that will require varying levels of attention. Use this report to prioritize any repair projects in order of importance. Put anything that is an immediate safety concern or negatively impacts your day-to-day life at the top of the list. Anything that is more of a cosmetic or aesthetic update can be deprioritized lower down your list.

If you weren't able to get a home inspection as part of the offer on your new home, you'll likely want to hire an inspection company to complete an inspection on your new home once you move in. While you won't be able to use the findings of the report to negotiate with the seller on price point, it will give you a comprehensive list of projects to keep on your radar so you don't let anything important go unnoticed. Think of it like going to the doctor for your annual checkup.

2. Secure Your Home

After closing you'll want to prioritize updating all of the features of your new home that help keep you safe. This includes changing your locks and resetting any codes if your house has a security system or electronic garage door. Also be sure to test all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your new home to ensure they are working and purchase any additional detectors if necessary. It's also a good idea to purchase fire extinguishers (one for your kitchen, and one for every other floor of the house). You can also buy the necessary supplies for an emergency kit including some non-perishable food items (and pet food too, if applicable), some bottles of water, a battery powered or hand crank radio, a first aid kid, a flashlight, batteries, over the counter pain relievers and any other medication you might need on hand, and matches.

3. Connect Your Utilities

You'll likely want to consider taking this step before you even move in to ensure you have access to the basics like water, electricity, and gas when you move in (moving furniture in the dark is not fun). While slightly less important than the necessities mentioned in the previous sentence, it's a good idea to plan ahead for setting up your internet, cable, and phone service so you experience minimal disruption during your move. If the area you're moving to has multiple service providers available for any of the utilities mentioned above, you'll want to take the time to do your research to determine who offers the best prices and service. Also be sure to ask about any transfer or set up charges to determine the true cost of entering into a service agreement with any providers.

4. Think About a Home Warranty

Unlike homeowner's insurance, a home warranty isn't required of homeowners but it's an option many consider. When you're first moving into your new home is a great time to consider whether a home warranty is right for you. Home warranties offer added protection and peace of mind for homeowners in the event that they experience failures of home systems or key appliances. Shopping around for a warranty is a great way to explore what different plans actually cover, and whether or not you think one is necessary for your new home.

5. Find Your Emergency Shut Offs

Ensuring you take the time to find out where all of the emergency shut offs are in your new home is an important step in keeping you and your family safe in the event of an emergency. Locate your water main line (usually located in the basement) to find where you water main shut off is located. This will come in handy in the event that you ever have a pipe leak and quickly need to shut off water to the house to avoid further damage. It is also good to know in the event that you're going on a longer trip and want to shut off water to the house while you're gone. You'll also want to familiarize yourself with your circuit box and all of the circuit breakers contained within. If the circuit breakers aren't clearly labeled, be sure to take the time to determine which breaker corresponds to what room or outlet in your new home and label them appropriately.

6. Check and Change HVAC Filters

If your home has a central air or heating system, don't wait long after moving in to find the air filter for the system and determine whether it needs to be replaced. In fact, it's better to be safe than sorry and move forward with replacing any air filters after moving in because a dirty filter can cause a host of problems including bad air quality and series damage to your HVAC system. Best practice is to replace your air filter once every three months so it's good to get into that habit and develop a schedule for filter replacement as soon as you move in.

7. Create a Regular Maintenance Schedule

And speaking of regular maintenance, it's a good idea for new homeowners to draft up a schedule incorporating all of the regular maintenance tasks that need to be completed. In addition to changing your air filters you can add cleaning your gutters, cleaning your dryer vent, having your furnace cleaned, and other annual or semi-annual tasks to your list. This will help prevent any important maintenance from slipping off your radar, and also allow you to space out these tasks so you're not inundated with scheduling all of them at the same time. And most importantly, it will help ensure your home is receiving the regular care it deserves and that will help it maintain its value.

8. Organize All Documentation

If you're lucky, the previous homeowners may have left you manuals or documentation for some or all of the home systems and appliances you're inheriting. Catalogue everything you have on hand when you move in and be sure to save any documentation for new appliances or systems you purchase after moving in. This kind of information is invaluable for homeowners, and you'll be eternally grateful to have it accessible for reference if and when you have problems with anything in your new home. You may also want to consider purchasing a secure storage system for all of your documentation like a fireproof file cabinet that locks. It's also a good idea to make copies of any important paperwork in case you misplace it.

9. Start Saving

It comes as no surprise, but being a homeowner is expensive! In addition to your monthly mortgage payment you'll want to having savings tucked away for any unexpected repairs (trust us, there will be unexpected repairs). You'll also likely have a vision for making your new house feel like home that may include renovations, an addition, or more extensive construction work. Having a savings plan in place when you move into a new home will help ensure you are prepared to meet any of the unanticipated costs of being a homeowner as well as keep you on track to achieve your homeownership goals.

10. Introduce Yourself to Your Neighbors

One of the best resources you can have in a new home is good neighbors. Introducing yourself to the folks who live around you is not only a great way to familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood (ask them what their favorite local restaurant or shop is), but it will set you up for success in your new home. If you go away, it's great to have someone nearby that can keep an eye out on your property while you're away. You can also pick their brains about the trades people they have had positive experiences with. Being on good terms with your neighbors is a crucial step to take when you move into a new home and will ultimately make your living experience much more enjoyable in the long run. If you feel up to it you can even host a small get together as an opportunity to meet all of your new neighbors at the same time and create a sense of community.

These are just a few tips for things to add to your checklist when you move into a new home, but they provide a great starting point to ensure you have success and happiness as a homeowner. Be sure to check out some of our other resources for homeowners to ensure you give your new home the appropriate care and maintenance:

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