If you just bought your first home, you’re probably still celebrating and feeling the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with homeownership. You’re shopping for furniture, drawing up plans for renovations … but wait! There are some important tasks to cross off your list before you get to the fun stuff.
1. Change the locks: A lot of people came in possession of your keys during the home sale process, whether it was on the market for a year or a day. Protect yourself by changing all the locks, just in case a set of keys fell into the wrong hands.
2. Make copies: It’s good to have copies of all your closing documents, if only for reference. But in the worst case, you’ll be thankful you have your own copies if something goes wrong.
3. Make sure you get your mail: Depending on your area, you may need to head to the post office and get the keys and location of your community mailbox. If you still get door service make sure your mailbox is clearly visible, easy to access, and that your address is clearly posted. If you’re in a multi-unit building, make sure to put your name on your mailbox and verify that the buzzer or call box is working.
4. Meet your neighbors: It’s not just about being cordial. It’s good to exchange contact info with your neighbors in case there’s a problem in the building or someone is being noisy.
5. Prepare for emergencies: Store the contact info for insurance agents and services like plumbers and locksmiths in your phone. You don’t want to waste time searching the internet when you’re locked out on a winter night or your home suffers fire damage.
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