Home Purchase Checklist

Start these items as early as 2 weeks before closing day.

·        Make sure that the money that you need for the closing is available. If you need to sell something move it out of your brokerage account, transfer it from somewhere else, get a gift from someone, etc., do all of that now so that you and your lender are comfortable that the funds will be available for closing day.

Lenders are very fussy about the source of the money that you need to buy the house. Make sure that your loan officer knows where the money is coming from and that any documentation or letters are provided at least one week before closing.

·        Arrange for a mover. Even if your friends are your movers, you may want to reserve a moving truck, UHaul, or a friend’s van, making arrangements early can help avoid last minute problems. Take photos of valuable items. That way if something is lost or damaged, you’ll have documentation.

·        Transfer the utilities into your name. You can set an effective date for this just remember to alert the companies if the closing date should change.

·        Connect cable & internet. There is often a lead time for this and you don’t want to be in your house for a couple of weeks with no internetJ

·        Change your address with the post office. You can do this online.

·        Update your address with everyone else: DMV, magazines, credit cards, banks. Some financial institutions won’t forward mail to a new address so it’s important to let them know. Some magazines and catalogs are sent bulk mail so the post office won’t forward them.

·        Clean and purge! Do you really want or need all of your current possessions at your new house? Instead of packing everything up, take this opportunity to lighten your load: donate, recycle or trash. Grab 3 bags and go to work!

·        Hire a cleaner. You may want some help cleaning both your existing and new spaces. Best reserve someone early so you’re not disappointed.

Start these tasks as soon as you move in

·        Change the locks in your new house. You can hire a locksmith or just replace the existing doorknob with a smart lock.

·        Reprogram any smart devices that came with the home.

·        Locate shut-offs for water and gas. This will save valuable time in case of an emergency.

·        Find the electrical panel. Learn how to shut off power to the entire house and how to reset a breaker if one should trip.

·        Set up a home-security system. Whether you choose a major company like ADT or a smart solution like Ring, if you plan to do this, now is always better than later.

·        Make sure HVAC system has been recently cleaned and serviced and set up a reminder to change filters etc on a regular basis.

·        Test smoke detectors and put them on a 6-month checklist.

·        Make a list of home maintenance tasks that will need to be done periodically. A little prevention goes a long way.

·        Relax and enjoy!