Advice for Moving Day and Beyond!

We’ve been real estate professionals for a long time and over the years we’ve developed and fine tuned hints and tips which we share with clients to make their home search and purchase process easier.

Here is our advice for easing the stress of moving day and the weeks that follow.

On Moving Day:

– Give a printed set of directions to each of your helpers so nobody gets lost or loses time driving from the old place to the new place. I know, everyone uses GPS these days but sometimes, it fails or misdirects and keep in mind that anyone driving a truck may have to navigate low underpasses or one lane bridges with weight limits and if you write out the directions for them, you could avert a hazard!
– Have plenty of water, easy energy-packed snacks, and a first aid kit on hand.
– Be sure you have extra tape and packing materials set aside for last minute repacking of items and have multiple utility knives on hand to open boxes at the new place.
– Don’t forget your pets! If they are with you on moving day, you will need to make arrangements to have them secured out of harm’s way and well supplied with water and outside time during the moving process – during both the pack up and the unpack.
– Have some cash handy for unexpected small needs which arise.

Here are a few items to put in the “first box” which you will open as soon as you arrive at your new home: batteries, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, new furnace filters, entry mats, flashlights, spare key to hide outside, toilet paper, radio, garbage cans and garbage bags, can/bottle opener, phone/cell phone charger.

On or before moving day you should:
– Locate and test the main water shutoff valve.
– Locate and test the main electrical panel breaker shut off.

After settling in:

– Introduce yourself to the neighbors.
– Change the locks on your home (see also number 3 below).
– Be sure the post office has your new address.
– Arrange for recycling/garbage (boxes, bins, etc).
– Learn where the nearest emergency room is before the first time you need it.

Other tips for the first week or two:

1) Change the filters for the HVAC. Start with clean ones and keep to a consistent schedule to have them changed.

2) Lay in a supply of lightbulbs for the fixtures in your new home. You won’t miss them until one blows out and then you will wish you had them on hand!

3) Check your interior doors to see what type of locks they have:

• If you have keyed interior deadbolts, change these as soon as you can: they are a safety hazard in the event of a fire.
• Certain types of thumb and turn locks “lock” automatically when you shut the door making it extraordinarily easy to get locked out of your new home. If you have these, you might want to consider an alternative OR make sure you hide a key somewhere outside the home soon after moving in!

4) Change out the washing machine hoses for braided steel hoses. These are not only less prone to leaking, but some insurance companies may deny a claim if the rubber hoses were attached at the time of a leak.

5) Change the batteries on the existing smoke detectors or, even better, get new smoke detectors. The NFPA recommends getting them replaced every 10 years.

6) If there are gas appliances in the house (stove, etc)  be sure to get carbon monoxide detectors, too.

Down the road a few weeks:

1) If your new home is in a Homeowner’s Association, contact them to confirm that you’re account with them is all set up and that you understand how much and how to pay your dues. Consider attending the monthly or quarterly meetings: remember you are now part of that neighborhood and you want to make certain your investment is protected through sound management practices.

2) File your closing documents somewhere you will remember or better yet, scan them and save them electronically. You may need to refer to your HUD settlement statement during the next tax season, so put it somewhere handy. Four to eight weeks after closing, you will receive a copy of your deed from the courthouse. Put this somewhere safe, but don’t fret if you lose it: it’s on file with the Clerk of the Court. You do not need to pay anything additional to receive your deed: so ignore any junk mail you get offering to get you a copy of your “official deed” for a fee.

3) Pull out a copy of your home inspection report and flip through to identify the items you’d like to tackle – make a list A,B,C…don’t overwhelm yourself: we’ve probably already addressed the most pressing issues when we negotiated with the seller after the home inspection. Have a look at our Home Maintenance Checklist for tips on caring for your home going forward.

4) Make a note of when your first mortgage payment is due. There should be a coupon for this payment in your closing documents. Your initial lender may sell your loan or the loan servicing in the next few months, which means where your payments go may change. If this happens, you should get a letter from BOTH the initial lender and a letter from the new lender, along with new payment instructions. Because these transitions are common, we recommend waiting 8 weeks from closing before attempting to set up any sort of automated mortgage payment.

5) Double check to make sure the DMV and Voter registration have your new address. If you’ve changed States, re-register your car, transfer your license and make sure you re-register to vote!

If you want our help with recommendations for handymen, service providers etc..just ask. And if you need our help coordinating deliveries or letting service men in before you arrive at your new home, we will do our best to be of assistance.

ENJOY your new home and remember that we – along with your closing agent, your home inspector and your lender are here to serve as a resource for you going forward.